Brussels, 05/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged the governments to adopt the “Checkpoint of the Future” (CoF) system - a security screening system that would allow air passengers to move through the checkpoint without stopping.
The association feels that the current security systems, which were developed in the 1970s and added to after 11 September, are no longer enough to ensure security efficiently and intelligently. “We have added layers of process in response to threats and events, but we have not made it any more intelligent, because we do not use the information that is collected on passengers to power a risk-based approach”, says Tony Tyler, the director-general and CEO of the association. The “Checkpoint of the Future” equipment could be available within seven years and make it possible to carry out security checks on passengers and their baggage, without asking them to stop, disrobe or unpack their personal affairs. The system would separate the passengers into three categories - normal security, enhanced security and “known traveller” - on the basis of data already held in passenger dossiers (PNR data). The checkpoint systems for “known travellers”, who will have already provided background data to governments on a voluntary basis, are currently being tested in the US and Canada. Tyler nonetheless stressed the principle of vigilance in association with all other measures. “We must not make the mistake of believing that technology or regulation can be a substitute for vigilance as we strive to make air transport more secure.” (MD/transl.fl)