IATA has announced a call to action for the aviation industry, regulators and governments across the world to reform aviation security through a partnership with a focus on a globally harmonised system.

Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO of IATA, while speaking at the 22nd AVISEC World Conference, held in Istanbul, said “Aviation security stands at a crossroads. Global passenger numbers will be approaching four billion per year by 2017, and the aging systems and outdated procedures of the current security system will not be able to cope. We need to change from prescriptive one-size-fits-all measures and embrace performance-based regulation if the economic benefits of aviation growth are not to be curtailed by security inefficiency.”

The move comes in direct support of the swift delivery of advance passenger information (API) to enable government departments and border security to screen passengers before they arrive on the ground at their destination.  High risk passengers can be identified and prevented from boarding the initial flight, or stopped from entering the destination country.

More than 45 states already operate API or PNR programs.  It is critical for the swift delivery of such information that the entire system is harmonised in line with ICAO regulation.  The issue of cost of collection of the vital information has yet to be finalised.

Mr Tyler went on to say, “Governments and industry can work together to make better use of the data collected. A good example is the checkpoint of the future initiative, which aims to improve the security and convenience of passenger screening by moving to a risk-based approach and adopting advanced technology. The flying public is eager to see the checkpoint of future deployed as quickly as possible. Stakeholders are aligned behind a staged implementation that will see the first versions in 2014. Subsequent stages will see us move from re-purposing equipment and using data more thoughtfully to the eventual deployment of new equipment in the final stage, around 2020.”