INTERNATIONAL. Airports Council International (ACI) today issued an important update to members on the global liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) security crisis.
Critically, ACI revealed that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) today published another letter to civil aviation authorities in member states detailing the following:
– Specifications of a global sealed tamper-evident bag (STEB) standard that would be adopted (and accepted) by Europe, North America and any other state that wishes to use the specifications.
– Further recommendations on dealing with exempted liquid items – medicines, infant foods, etc
– Steps towards a global validation system for mutual recognition of security standards between states (forming the basis for bilateral agreements, if required) – this is not in place yet, but will supplement the State Letter once it is developed in the coming months.
“ACI believes that retailers who sell passengers items with the knowledge that they will be confiscated could seriously damage not only their own reputation, but the reputation of the whole travel retail industry“ |
ACI said the STEB standard was reached through a series of meetings and industry working groups coordinated by ACI and including input from IATA and ETRC, as well as airport, retailer and travel retail industry suppliers.
These were fed into the ICAO study group which met in February and, with input from the states involved, a global STEB standard has been developed. The bag is based on the model developed in Europe, with modifications as requested by some states.
The State Letter and specifications are now available on the ICAO Security and Facilitation Branch website – click here to visit.
For further information please contact Craig Bradbrook at ACI – cbradbrook@aci.aero
The bag can be fabricated by any plastic bag manufacturer able to meet the specifications.
However, ACI warned that the adoption of the ICAO STEB standard by any state does not automatically mean mutual recognition of supply chain security standards by other states.
“In other words, passengers who have goods placed in the ICAO STEB may still face having to surrender the items when transiting through, for example, the Europe Union zone or North America, until mutual recognition is established through bilateral or multilateral arrangements.”
ACI added: “It is also important to remember that the STEB forms just one part of security harmonisation around the world – that states must be confident in the efficacy of each others’ supply chain security standards – a global validation system for recognition of supply chain security is something that the ACI-led group is working on with ICAO currently.”!
ACI’S ASSESSMENT
ACI said that considers that the adoption of a worldwide standard for the STEB is a good outcome and will help lead to worldwide harmonisation in this area.
It noted: “ACI is hopeful that further progress on a global standard for validation of security supply chains can be made in the next few months. This will lead to an easier process for the formation of arrangements between states, to allow passengers travelling from one state through another state with travel retail items to be accepted.”
But is said it was concerned that so many states have yet to approach the European Commission to establish bilateral arrangements for recognition of passengers with travel retail items [a concern shared by the ETRC -Ed].
It also cautioned that there is still evidence that retailers at some airports are allowing passengers to purchase liquid items, while knowing that these purchases may have to be surrendered at a transit point in their journey.
“As previously stated, ACI believes that retailers who sell passengers items with the knowledge that they will be confiscated could seriously damage not only their own reputation, but the reputation of the whole travel retail industry. It is imperative that, through this period of confusion in the industry, we retain passenger confidence. We recommend that airport operators work with their retailers to stop this occurring.”
IMPORTANT ACI NOTES ABOUT THE STEB SPECIFICATIONS, AS OUTLINED IN THE ICAO STATE LETTER
– The manufacturer’s registration number is not clearly defined in the ICAO State Letter. As ACI understands it, once a manufacturer has been contacted by the retailer or airport (or state) wishing to manufacture bags, and have agreed that they can make bags to these specifications, the retailer or state can discuss with ICAO to get a code number which will be retained on a list by ICAO; if defective bags begin to turn up, ICAO will be able to trace the source.
Manufacturers can also contact ICAO to be registered. The registration system will be developed in due course. In the meantime, the manufacturers name should appear in its place.
– The retailer inventory code or device is not outlined in the ICAO State Letter. The concept would be used as a mechanism whereby the retailer could use the code or device to ensure correct usage of the STEB – be it a bar code system, RFID, security device that has to be removed from the bag etc. ICAO have also suggested that there could be a barcode on the bag, linked to the stock inventory system at retailers – not necessarily tracking each bag, but the number of bags in stock. ACI would suggest that retailers and airports discuss the most appropriate system for tracking use of the bags with their state authority.
– The State Letter suggests that the receipt must be held in the top left corner of the bag. Either a pocket or a sleeve could be included in the bag design, although this would add to the cost. The receipt could be taped or stapled to the top of the bag by the sales assistant
MORE STORIES ON THE AVIATION SECURITY CRISIS
Security update: Hong Kong transfer initiative and Singapore gate delivery show Asia on the move – 31/03/07
Australian off-airport duty free gains last-minute liquid reprieve – 30/03/07
APTRA update: New countries introduce aviation security regulations – 30/03/07
MEPs take campaign over airline liquids direct to Transport Ministers – 30/03/07
