UN agency pushes for revised aviation rules

By John Oyuke

The United Nations agency that oversees aviation is pushing for new guidelines for security that could see all persons with access to security restricted areas at airports – including pilots and other employees – undergo compulsory screening.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has acknowledged that threats posed by insiders are real and has asked member States to expedite implementation of effective mitigation measures to counter insider threat to aviation.

Invasive screening

In a statement, the agency ensuring safe and orderly growth of air transport, urged member States to implement counter measures and to adopt a revised ICAO Standard on the screening of persons other than passengers as soon as practicable.

This, it added should ensure persons other than passengers, plus items carried, prior to entry into airport security restricted areas, are subjected to screening and security controls.

The bottom line is that all people entering these or sterile areas – that hold screened passengers before  they board, must undergo a security screening as part of suite of security measures to mitigate the insider threat.

Pilots, especially in the US have resented airport security screenings, arguing that, as professional and highly skilled workers, they should not be subjected to invasive security procedures similar to passengers and other workers.

Supporting that argument, pilots have maintained that they are in positions of trust, thoroughly vetted due to extensive background checks and other pre-employment testing.

The US Transportation Security Administration  and other security agencies have however not been persuaded by these arguments, even as screenings became more invasive and time-consuming since 9/11.

 A high-level two-day Conference held at ICAO’s Headquarters in Montréal, Canada, also appeared unconvinced, saying credible insider threats exist and need to be addressed effectively to protect civil aviation.

“Through improved collaboration, we are far better prepared to anticipate, detect and counter the multiple evolving threats posed by modern terrorism,” affirmed Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of ICAO.

“Equally important, by sharing data and best practices more comprehensively and leveraging the latest technological innovations, we can minimise the adverse consequences of security on the air transport industry.”

Besides their agreement on the transition to a risk-based, collaborative global framework, conference delegates agreed to establish processes for identifying and handling high-risk air cargo and protecting supply chains.