IATA Calls For Shared Responsibility on New Security Measures

Airlines should not be forced to take full responsibility for extra security measures as governments try to respond to the discovery of bombs in air-cargo shipments last week, the International Air Transport Association said.

Responsibility for new security measures should be spread through the supply chain, beginning with the manufacturer, IATA's CEO Giovanni Bisignani said.

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"Effective solutions are not developed unilaterally or in haste," Bisignani said, according to Bloomberg News. "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."

New cargo measures would impact passenger airlines, as about 40% of air cargo is moved on ordinary aircraft, Bloomberg News said. Many airlines are only just returning to profitability after the financial crisis cut demand for air travel.

"It's another large fly in the ointment for the aviation
industry," John Strickland, a director of JLS Consulting Ltd, told Bloomberg News. "Cargo is important for airlines, especially for long-haul flights, so they can't just stop flying it."