Cargo Steady In Terror Alert

Harald Zielinski Chief Of Security Lufthansa Cargo	Dave Brooks President American Airlines Cargo	Ram Menen Division VP Cargo Emirates SkyCargo	Jack Boisen Staff Vice President Continental Airlines Cargo	Scott Dolan President United Airlines Cargo

     While airlines and airports delayed and cancelled hundreds of flights to the UK after the arrest of 21 alleged terrorists accused of planning to blow up 10 U.S. commercial aircraft above the Atlantic Ocean, air cargo scrambled to continue operations as everything carried onboard was hurriedly stuffed into containers below deck.
     “Steady as she goes.
     “Be safe, be vigilant, keep customers informed,” said American Airlines Cargo President Dave Brooks in Dallas indicating that at the world’s largest airline, business as usual while being conducted under unusual circumstance would be continued.
     "We are confident we have disrupted a plan by terrorists to cause untold death and destruction," London Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson told the television cameras.
     In Washington, U.S. Homeland Security Michael Chertoff who looks and sounds a little like the comic book character Elmer Fudd, read a prepared statement while thoughts drifted back to just a year ago when he stood in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and got it all wrong.
     Chertoff voiced belief that the plot was "suggestive of al-Qaida,” sounding like the next thing we will hear from The Bush Administration is, another country to invade.
     But the message from both sides of the Atlantic that U.S. flags, this time aircraft operated by American Airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines are believed to have been targeted, was chilling.
     Chertoff described the plot "as sophisticated as any we have seen in recent years as far as terrorism is concerned."
     In Houston, Texas Jack Boisen, Continental Airlines Vice President Cargo said:
     “We have yet had no direct impact on cargo security, in that we have always been operating in an "elevated" status.
     “There has been an initial, but pretty small, adjustment to available cargo capacities.
     “This first day has seen an increased checked bag count, primarily because passengers, carrier employees and TSA weren't prepared for the new restrictions.
     “This will improve quickly.
     “Do to greater restrictions relative to carry on bags, on flights departing the UK, we will experience a bit more lost cargo capacity.
     “Our early experience indicates a 6%-8% loss on our B777's, but I believe this will also improve over the next couple of days.”
     On the other side of the world in Dubai, Ram Menen, Division VP Cargo at Emirates noted:
     “We have had challenges due to congestion and stringent security processes, but we operate in this atmosphere of heightened awareness and care all the time now.
     “So far we are okay.”
     At Heathrow however, yesterday was complete chaos not only at check-in but airside as well where outbound flights were delayed or cancelled and inbounds had little or no place to park.
     Finally at mid-morning Thursday, all LHR inbound flights not already airborne were cancelled.
     Scott Dolan, vice president cargo at United Airlines, the third U.S. flag on the terror target list, said:
     “Despite experiencing service disruption to operations at London Heathrow, new policies put into place regarding air travel are not expected to impact the United Cargo operation.
     “However, all cargo security procedures will continue to be followed strictly and completely to ensure the safe transport of all shipments.
     “There will likely be some flight delays as the new travel security policies are implemented.”
     “But an equally compelling issue,” says Lufthansa Cargo Godfather of Security Harald Zielinski “is while European Union and the rest of the world move to implement even stricter air cargo security procedures for the passenger/cargo combination business what must not be overlooked is possible use of a freighter aircraft in a terrorist incident.
     “The negative effect would be dramatically enhanced by using a freighter loaded with the right mixture of dangerous goods as a dirty bomb.
     “In an atmosphere of enlightened total security it cannot be up to a company alone to assure the safety and protection of its employees who transport and handle freight.
     “What is needed is enlightened re-regulation of security procedures that is the result of a wide ranging independent study of the current situation.
     “The carriers, both all-cargo and the combination business and the entire industry have too much at stake to allow anything less than a total, no-holds barred review before any new laws are voted upon.
     “If somebody enters the air cargo security field without insomnia, this job may help you to get it.
     “The reason for that is not just anxiety or doubt in one’s own capabilities, it is the worry whether security can be guaranteed in all areas including locations that are not under my direct influence.
     “Despite all the screening and checking and other security redundancies, somebody will slip through.
     “Terrorists have a distinct learning aptitude.
     “The knowledge that a freighter aircraft is less secure enhances its risk as a terrorist weapon.
     “There simply cannot be a separate but unequal approach to air cargo security.”
(Geoffrey)