April 2013
Reshaping airport security
© IATA Checkpoint of the future
Piling up multiple layers of security at airports has throughout the last decade become cumbersome for both aviation personnel and passengers. The decision of the US Transport Security Administration (TSA) to allow certain pocket knives on planes is an additional step towards clearing the way for a risk-based security approach and improving standardisation.
Anyone who has
been forced to throw away a bottle of water at airport security is probably familiar with the frustration caused by these security measures. For years passengers and crew members have seen the list of prohibited items expand and new rules emerge after each attempted attack on aircraft. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, followed by the ‘Shoe bomber’, the ‘underpants bomber’ and the liquids bomb plot have all revealed a security loophole, which was subsequently covered by a new layer of protection, such as e.g. the 100ml liquid rule or body scanners. For years, pilots have been calling for a new approach which focusses on threat identification and risk assessment rather than adding yet another security measure. Risk-based security is the understanding that the vast majority of travelers pose little risk to aviation security, and that the onesize-fits-all security model, which has been in place since the attacks of 9/11, needs to be re-shaped. Currently, pilots are screened as regular passengers, disregarding entirely that they are responsible for security on board of their aircrafts. The focus on risk assessment and threat identification is in line with several other initiatives of associations of aircrews, airlines, National Authorities and airports. Such is e.g. the “Known Crewmember” program, launched in the US by the TSA and supported by ALPA-I and A4A, that enables TSA security officers to positively verify the identity and employment status of flight-crew members. Similarly, the IATA “Checkpoint of the Future” initiative focusses on modernizing and improving passenger screening based on a risk based approach. Despite limitations of EU legislation not allowing a coordinated EU-wide initiative, some national authorities are already working on projects to open differentiation for pilots in Europe, which will allow them to go through different security screening measures (including
Nico Voorbach, ECA President
Nordic pilots concerned with casulization of labour Last month I had the opportunity to join pilots’ associations’ representatives from the Nordic region for a two-day symposium on casualization of labour. I came back home relieved and delighted by the determination of DALPA (Danish Airline Pilot Association), NF (Norsk Flygerforbund), Estonian ALPA, SPF (Svensk Pilotförening) and FPA (Finnish Pilot Association) to stand united against this growing threat to good employment practices in the region. ECA has been very active in advocating for caution when it comes to casualization of pilots’ jobs. In addition to jeopardising job stability and working conditions, in aviation this type of contracts has also a safety aspect. Pilots employed under such precarious conditions would not always be able to take safety decisions if they fear that their decision might have consequences on the continuation or renewal of their contracts. In crisis-hit Europe, however, this employment model increasingly replaces regular contracts under the guise of a cost-cutting measure. This symposium presented a good opportunity for pilots from the region to discuss how to better defend the rights of pilots as employees and guarantee safety in the skies. For this they deserve to be applauded.
ID check) and facilitate the access to their daily working place. ECA has long argued for such a risk based approach, including the introduction of a specific crew identity card based on biometric data and regular background checks. TSA’s decision on small knives might be an indication that the approach towards aviation security is shifting. With the prospects of an increase in passenger traffic, it is clear that the current system of airport security is neither viable nor efficient and must change to allow the expected growth of passengers in the near future.
Nordic pilots united
© ECA
Pilot associations’ leaders from Nordic countries agreed to strengthen their co-operation and to stand united in their determination to defend the rights of pilots as employees.
Not a day goes by
without reading about cost-cutting measures in aviation due to the economic crisis. Add the growing competition and you have the picture of European aviation in the last few years. All these factors cannot be disregarded when it comes to either management decisions or employment practices. On 20-21 March ECA joined Nordic Pilots’ Associations for a two-day symposium in Helsinki looking into the threats and opportunities for the pilot’s profession. Representatives of the North-European region discussed how to improve co-operation and information exchange between the unions In order to better counter one of the main threats to sustainable employment: the casualization of labour. Despite the good reputation of North European countries, the region has not been spared from tensions when it comes to employment practices for pilots. Such was the case of the Skyways Express airline which fired and rehired its employees through a contractor after their business unit was sold – for a symbolic price – to one of the groups’ top executives in 2009. In 2012, negotiations on a restructuring plan proposed at very short notice by the SAS Group turned into an arm-twisting exercise to dilute trade union rights rather than safeguard the company’s economic survival. More recently, a low cost company in Norway has also disclosed plans to use atypical forms of employment, including contracts for crews with virtual bases in Bangkok. Against this background, Nordic pilots agreed that outsourcing and subcontracting are undermining their dedication and long-term commitment. Without these the aviation safety culture that has been developed over the long history of flying might also be under threat.
Further in this Cockpit News you can read about the decision of the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to harmonise the prohibited items list with ICAO standards. The announcement of this decision came by TSA Administrator John Pistole during the 21st IATA AVSEC World Conference in New York last month. ECA was a supporting organisation of the event and as such I gave a presentation on “Incidents in the Air”. We’d like to thank IATA for the great opportunity to exchange views and expertise with professional pilots.
The European Cockpit Association is the representative body of European Pilots’ Associations. Based in Brussels, ECA represents over 38.000 pilots from across Europe. For more information and to subscribe to our monthly online newsletter: www. eurocockpit.be Copyright © April 2013 European Cockpit Association, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: European Cockpit Association Rue du Commerce 22 Brussels 1000 For queries, please send an email to: communications@eurocockpit.be