So far so good for US air cargo screening
- Latest News
- Friday, 13 August 2010
Early returns indicate things are off to a solid start, according to industry stakeholders.
The new law required the secretary of Homeland Security to establish a system where the airline industry screened 100 per cent of cargo transported on passenger aircraft to the level used to screen checked baggage.
It requires all air cargo to be screened at the piece level prior to transport on a passenger aircraft for flights originating in the United States.
Part of the success to date is down to the TSA's Certified Cargo Screening Program, which enables Indirect Air Carriers (IACs), shippers, and Independent Cargo Screening Facilities (ICSFs) to screen cargo for flights originating in the US.
Before the August 1 deadline, TSA said more than 900 shippers, freight forwarders, and independent cargo screening facilities became CCSP-certified.
"The early returns are that so far it has been relatively transparent and not a significant event," said Brandon Fried, executive director of the Washington-based Airforwarders Association (AfA). "We have really not seen any dire hardship."
Fried did point out that August is typically a slow month for the air cargo industry, and added things are likely to become more hectic in September as shippers gear up for the country's holiday season.
