IATA adopts safety resolution to enhance aviation security

A resolution that reaffirms the airline industry’s commitment to keep air travel secure and promote greater public-private collaboration was recently adopted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) at its 73rd Annual General Meeting.

The resolution was used to highlight the importance of a recently-passed United Nations Security Council resolution, which called for governments to meet their responsibilities to ensure safe air travel and reaffirmed the airline industry’s support for the development of the Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP) set forth by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

“GASeP must be a pragmatic and nimble framework for all parties involved in aviation security to work together. No single entity has all the answers,” IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac said.

Specific provisions in the resolution include engaging the industry in a dialogue when faced with a security threat to ensure that effective response measures can be implemented to maximize passenger safety, working in partnership between governments and industry stakeholders to develop long-term security measures to counter aviation threats, and taking greater accountability to implement ICAO security measures.

The resolution also aims to fast-track the GASeP roadmap into the National Civil Aviation Security Program as soon as possible and commits airlines to implement prescribed security standards and recommended practices at the highest level, among other safety provisions.

The International Air Transport Association is a trade association representing 275 global airline companies and stakeholders, which account for more than 83 percent of total air traffic.