BALPA: Pilots warn of 'open door' cargo flights and urges government to 'get real'
30-Oct-2010 Pilot associations around the world have been warning for years of the terrorist threat to cargo flights and that by focusing on passenger operations we have left the door open elsewhere.
Jim McAuslan, BALPA General Secretary, said today: 'It is good news that the combined intelligence services have worked together effectively to foil the plot. But, as the eyes and ears on the front line, pilots' warnings about the whole security regime now need to be listened to.'
BALPA has also warned that with almost all costs of UK airport security checks being borne by the industry there is a very real risk that commercial pressures will lead to our guard being dropped, especially if the solution hinted at by Government of delegating responsibility to airports (announced in the wake of Martin Broughton's complaints) is carried out.
This is unlike the USA where central Government dictates the level of checks and funds these centrally.
Jim McAuslan continued: 'The news of a foiled attack should not mean that Government can or should ignore the complaints earlier this week of redundant security measures. If anything those complaints and this latest uncovered plot should be seen as making the case for better targeting of resource at identified risks. It makes no sense to us that scarce resources are used to strip down pilots with years flying experience rather than targeting resources at the vulnerabilities that we seen exploited in the past 24 hours. Government needs to get real on this.'