Security – Finding the right balance
By Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE
 Security and safety are cornerstones of the air transport industry. Passenger confidence is fundamental to aviations’ success and mass appeal. Thus, the uncovering in the UK, on 10 August, of a plot to detonate liquid explosives in US-bound passenger aircraft, provided yet another acute reminder of the new post-9/11 security environment we face.
Given the urgency of the situation, the initial reaction across Europe was uncoordinated and based on an incomplete threat assessment. Airports, airlines and travellers alike were instantly confronted with a maze of often conflicting procedures, which led to widespread confusion, delays and frustration. The impact of this on airport retail was and continues to be considerable. Reduced airside dwell times caused by additional security searches, in addition to passenger uncertainty about what they could or could not buy, caused airport sales to plummet.
The newly identified threat posed by onboard liquids clearly called for a harmonised EU approach developed in close cooperation with airports, airlines and retailers. ACI EUROPE’s priorities in this regard were, and remain, threefold: firstly, to ensure that the new security measures are effective and proportionate to the threat; secondly, since these measures related to a ban on liquids, to ensure that the impact on airport retailing was minimised; and thirdly, to make sure measures are operationally sustainable.
The security rules which came into force in November are sensible and Europe’s airports generally welcome moves by the European Commission to improve the EU security framework. However, when one looks at the regulatory framework that has developed since 9/11, we often find a tendency to address what is possible, rather than what is probable. Multiple layers of measures have been adopted, resulting in complexity and duplication. In a context where the potential for further terror attacks is an ever present threat this approach is unsustainable in the long-term. ACI EUROPE firmly believes that new rules should focus on the specific security threat or risk that needs to be eliminated, while taking special account of the impact on passenger mobility and convenience, operations and cost.
New security measures have a dual impact for airports and aviation generally: cost and passenger facilitation. Recent estimates indicate that the cost for airports of implementing existing security rules represents up to thirty-five percent of an airport’s operating costs. Additionally, while airports have strived to ensure continuity of service for passengers, ever stringent security checks has caused air travel to lose some of its appeal.
Finding the right balance between security and sustainability requires effective intra-industry and industry-regulator dialogue. As demonstrated by the important role played by our Aviation Security Committee with the European Commission and airlines in devising new EU rules on liquids and hand baggage, ACI EUROPE is fully committed to just such an approach. To this end, ACI EUROPE and the Association of European Airlines (AEA) recently established a long-term collaborative initiative on security, “the European Strategic Partnership for Aviation Security” or ESPAS.
The interface between airlines and airports is the point at which security has to be at its most effective – and at its most efficient. New security rules impact not only the way airports and airlines do business, but the way they do business with each other and all airport based businesses and service providers. Through the ESPAS platform, airports and airlines will seek to establish a common industry security policy and act jointly with European rule makers to remedy shortcomings in the current system to provide risk based, coherent and workable security measures that benefit both industry and the travelling public alike.
Industry and regulators must address two main questions: how best to tackle such threats and, how far can we go before security procedures become unsustainable – financially and operationally. If current trends continue, we may soon reach an untenable situation where security restrictions become so invasive as to make air travel as we know it a thing of the past. If this were to occur the only winners would be those bent on modifying our way of life and creating a permanent climate of fear. Security is fundamental to the future of aviation, but policies in this area must be targeted, balanced and workable.
The Airports Council International, Europe Region (ACI EUROPE) represents the collective interests of some 400 airports in 45 countries. Our mission is to develop a wider awareness and understanding of the challenges facing Europe's airports and to promote the economic and social benefits of aviation.
This is our guests opinion and does not necessary reflect the alliance viewpoint. |
 |
© Aviance 2004 - All Rights Reserved.
Aviance Members are:
