IAG - Aviation and Travel - News, Information and Services

IAG - Aviation and Travel - News, Information and Services: Aviation Security - IATA article
A fine piece by IATA that bears reading. IATA is absolutely correct that governments are treating aviation unfairly. Terrorism has aimed at rail and bus traffic - neither mode has had to suffer the same as aviation.

The BAA mess is in part poor internal planning but in fairness, until it happened, how was BAA to prepare for such an event? By the same token how was the FAA and DOT, indeed the American government, to prepare and plan for 9/11? We are on new ground here. Each event teaches and successful learning comes from not having a second mess when another event occurs. You know there will be more threats.

Finally, IATA is correct to yell about governments not working together enough. The hamonization of passenger data exchanges is critical for airlines to operate. Nobody (except terrorists) wants to see travelers harmed. Nationalism has to take second place, and ideally be ignored, when it comes to passenger data exchanges. Privacy is not worth anything when an innocent is threatened.

We strongly believe that using Interpol as the clearing house, airlines can make their manifests (PNRs) shareable in an apolitical way. Using this methodology enables every airline (especially those in the Middle East) to share data that protects the entire aviation system. Heads in the sand do not help keep the system safe. The Saudis and Jordanians have had aviation threats. If one does not view air transportation as a system, with global vested interests from passengers to nations, then it is an easy target to threaten. Terrorists have become equal opportunists and any plane is a target for somebody with an axe to grind. Only a cohesive solution protects all.

If only we could get the gnomes out of the way. But don't bet on it. Government officials the world over keep their jobs through obfuscation and interference.