1 November 1999

SECURITY AT QUESTION IN EGYPT AIR CRASH

Security standards at US airports are again under question following the crash at 2 am Sunday morning of Egypt Air flight 990 of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. 

Although there is no indication as yet that the loss of the aircraft was the result of a terrorist attack, reports in the US cite Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sources as saying that it received a threat against flights from Los Angeles (LAX) and John F Kennedy (JFK) international airports and consequently issued an alert to all airlines on September 24. 

Airport security has been a major issue in the US since the Gore Commission criticised the level of protection afforded travellers in the wake of the 1996 Trans World Airlines (TWA) flight 800 crash.  The Commission instructed the FAA to significantly bolster security at all airports but specifically those supporting international flights.  Since that time, the FAA has invested $100 million annually in high tech security systems for US airports.  That level of investment will continue through until FY2004.

“A battery of high tech systems including CTX 5000 computed tomography scanners, state of the art x-ray devices and vapour detection systems are now in use at US airports,” comments Chris Yates, editor of Jane’s Airport Security – Standards & Technology.  “However, a report late last year by the US Department of Transport (DoT) Office of the Inspector General revealed that despite having the technology in place to meet the terrorist threat, under-utilisation on the part of air carriers rendered it largely ineffectual.”

The report stated that it found that 9 of the 13 CTX 5000s operated at 7 so called Category X high risk airports – which include LAX and JFK – were screening less that 200 bags per day each although capable of significantly higher throughput.  Furthermore, it suggested that most air carriers were only using the equipment to screen the checked baggage of passengers identified by the Computer Assisted Passenger Screening system (CAPS) as potentially high risk. 

“Reliance on CAPS to determine which bags on a plane are electronically screened and which are not is foolhardy, since it leaves the backdoor wide open and could allow an explosive device to be spirited aboard an aircraft.  Should the loss of Egypt Air flight 990 prove to be a result of terrorist activity, there should be a wholesale rethink of how the United States and its air carriers go about the business of securing its aviation system against attack,” concludes Yates.

Concern has also recently been expressed over a key US policy initiative that could have a negative impact on aviation security if it becomes law.  The so called Hatch Amendment to the US Anti Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, seeks to force foreign air carriers to apply security measures identical to their US counterparts at airports within the United States and at their last point of departure to the United States.

The proposed amendment is causing considerable concern among non-US airports and airlines and their representative bodies. The Airports Council International (ACI), which has been lobbying hard to see the amendment removed, says it has the potential to cost its members tens of millions of dollars, have a negative impact on terminal capacity at a time when congestion is becoming a real issue, and actually reduce levels of security afforded passengers at certain airports.

The deadline for comments on the Hatch Amendment passed 22nd May 1999. Under US law the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must either finalise the regulation and impose an implementation date or decide that they cannot do so as it is written.  This has to be done within16 months of the close of the public comment period.

 Editor's note: If you would like to speak to Chris Yates (Editor of Jane’s Airport Security – Standards & Technology), or if you require further information, please contact Jane's.