Montreal: Airlines shouldn't be made to bear the full burden of extra security measures as governments respond to the discovery of bombs in air-cargo shipments last week, the International Air Transport Association said.
Responsibility for security must be spread across the supply chain, starting with the manufacturer, and airport screening shouldn't be seen as a first line of defence, IATA Chief Executive Officer Giovanni Bisignani said yesterday.
"Effective solutions are not developed unilaterally or in haste," Bisignani said.
"If there are any longer- term adjustments required we must do so with all the facts in hand, with measures targeted to meet specific risks."
Belly freight
Passenger airlines only now returning to profit after the recession would be affected by stricter security rules because about 40 per cent of air cargo is transported as "belly freight" on ordinary aircraft.
One of the devices found last week en route from Yemen to Chicago was reportedly carried on two scheduled Qatar Airways services.
"It's another large fly in the ointment for the aviation industry," said John Strickland, an aviation analyst and director of JLS Consulting. "Cargo is important for airlines, especially for long-haul flights, so they can't just stop flying it."
The Bloomberg Asia Pacific Airlines Index dropped 1.9 per cent yesterday. The Bloomberg EMEA Airlines Index was up 1.5 per cent after declining 0.7 per cent Monday.
Bisignani said yesterday that while there was "room for improvement," the aviation industry was now more secure than at the time of the September 11, 2001, hijackings in the US.
Airlines carried 26 million metric tons of freight last year — or 35 per cent of the total value of goods traded internationally.
