The International Air Transport Association (IATA) considers the recent laptop cabin ban by certain governments and airlines to be ’unacceptable’ and ‘ineffective’, according to the world airline body’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.

 

So much so that he is now calling upon governments ‘to urgently find alternatives to recently announced measures by the United States and the United Kingdom’ to restrict carry-on large electronic items on flights departing the Middle East and North Africa.

 

US AND UK LAPTOP CABIN BANS ‘INEFFECTIVE’

He argues that the US and UK laptop bans in cabin baggage on certain flights will not be effective as a security measure: “The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate,” said de Juniac.

 

“Even in the short term it is difficult to understand their effectiveness. And the commercial distortions they create are severe. We call on governments to work with the industry to find a way to keep flying secure without separating passengers from their personal electronics.”

 

De Juniac’s appeal was delivered in a recent speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations where he emphasised the need to maintain public confidence in the security of the global aviation industry, which he pointed out delivers some 100,000 flights a day both safely and securely.

 

INCONSISTENCIES MUST GO, SAYS DE JUNIAC

He said: “With the measures now in place, our passengers and member airlines are asking valid questions. Why don’t the US and the UK have a common list of airports?

 

How can laptops be secure in the cabin on some flights and not others, including flights departing from the same airport?

 

“And surely there must be a way to screen electronic equipment effectively? The current situation is not acceptable and will not maintain the all-important confidence of the industry or of travellers. We must find a better way. And governments must act quickly,” said de Juniac.

 

Meanwhile, IATA says that it has ‘long called for better information sharing and coordination on security measures amongst both governments and industry.

 

 

‘INTELLIGENCE IS KING’

“While governments have the primary responsibility for security, we share the priority of keeping passengers, crew and aircraft secure. To do that effectively intelligence is king. And it needs to be shared amongst governments and with the industry. It’s the only way to stop terrorists before they get near an airport, let alone aircraft,” said de Juniac.

 

“Airlines don’t want access to state secrets. But if airlines understand the outcome governments want, they can help with the operational experience to deliver that result effectively and efficiently,” he said.

 

With international cooperation in mind, IATA says that challenges to aviation security were highlighted in Resolution 2309 of the UN Security Council, which tasked the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with developing a Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP).

 

“The need for such a plan has been made very clear by wide gaps in the measures taken by governments in recent days. States need to lend their full support to ICAO in developing GASeP quickly. And even before that can be achieved, there is an early opportunity to make a real improvement to international cooperation on security.

 

“In May ICAO member states will consider amendments to Annex 17 of the Chicago convention that would require information sharing. The security experience of recent years should compel States to support this,” he said.