A worldwide programme to strengthen aviation security measures has been endorsed by each Member State of the International Civil Aviation Organisation
All 187 Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have endorsed a global programme to strengthen commercial aviation security worldwide, writes Monica Dobie – primarily through a mandatory audit of national services. The decision was ratified at a two-day ministerial conference held at the ICAO's Montreal hq.

Delegates have now approved a formal and comprehensive aviation security plan of action. Crucially, this includes regular, mandatory and harmonised security audits at a minimum cost of US$17.1 million.

Around US$15.7 million of that sum will be collected from Member States by way of voluntary pledges. The US has already earmarked US$1.5 million for the first year of the initiative.

The audits proper are scheduled to receive formal adoption by 14 June this year, and will begin in 2003. In practice, ICAO experts will perform the audits after gaining permission to do so by the Member State in question. The specialists will choose airports as sample case studies such that each country involved is then able to evaluate the quality of precautions taken across its national territory.

At the moment the plan is that only international airports will be audited, but the ICAO is presently considering whether or not domestic terminals should also be open to increased scrutiny.

In addition to the audits, conference delegates also agreed upon new mandatory security standards that will apply to all ICAO members and take effect shortly after their adoption this coming June.

These include commitments to:

  • ensure the locking of flight deck doors for civil aircraft operated internationally;
  • share information about potential security problems, and employ suitable threat assessment and risk management methodologies (based on detailed guidance to be developed by the ICAO);
  • ensure that aviation security measures are implemented in an objective and non-discriminatory manner;
  • develop a raft of new international technical standards requiring the dedicated protection of flight deck doors from forcible intrusion;
  • develop and take action to deal with the ongoing problem of aviation war risk insurance.

Welcoming this latest initiative, Gunter Matschnigg – vice president of operations at the International Air Transport Association – predicts that these 'beefed up' airport security measures will make travellers feel more at ease, while the proposed technical improvements should ultimately speed the safe movement of passengers through terminals.

As for increased user charges and fees to pay for the new technologies that will be needed (including state-of-the-art biometrics), Matschnigg added: "Security does come at a price, but it's the responsibility of each Member States' Government to ensure that the very best means of security are in place."

To this end, Matschnigg fully applauds moves in the United States to nationalise airport security (see independent consultant David Mackay's special report 'Airport bombing risks exposed' on page 15 of this month's edition of Security Management Today).

Source

SMT