Working to a Secure Future

Published in Airport Security, Safety & Service magazine, UK, July 2002

The repercussions of September 11th have put the air transport industry under unique pressure to deliver an organised, high-tech, and global solution to a security problem that was previously unheard of. However, the industry has been largely preoccupied with the efficiency of hardened cockpit doors, air marshals, explosive detection systems and biometrics amongst other things. While it is inevitable that biometrics may be needed, until recently there has been a lack of focus on the groundwork that will make such technology feasible.

Making security effective begins with the basics of air travel. For example, SITA is working with the Canadian Customs and Revenue Agency, where a system is being developed to provide accurate, comprehensive and timely advanced passenger information on all passengers travelling on in-bound international flights to Canada. This information can be used to enable government agencies to analyse and cross-reference passenger details against their own databases. The system combines passenger name records (PNRs) with data from global distribution, airline reservation and departure control systems to quickly identify those passengers warranting further questioning at the airport.

Complementary to the system being developed for CCRA is the iBorders solution, which has been developed in conjunction with CPS Systems. The solution provides real time data to a government at not only time of check-in, but also at reservation. This allows any government to make intelligent decisions on whether to instruct the airline to deny boarding of a particular passenger. Use of this system relieves pressure on airports and airlines, and encourages the kind of information sharing that will be needed in the future.

Concentration on border control can then pave the way for additional security measures in the airport, such as biometrics. However, a biometrics system needs as much emphasis on its integration with a passenger database and other airport applications as there is on which particular method of identification is used, whether iris scan, thumbprint or facial geometry. This is why SITA developed the Secure-Travel (S-Travel) initiative. In short, SITA is leading a consortium of specialised IT companies with IATA, to trial a pan-European biometric card security system for the EC. The system must have a ‘trusted passenger’ database at its core, with an agreed enrolment process for passengers and agreed procedures for airports to use it. These, together with ICAO approval for global implementation are the real issues that need to be resolved in such a system. Once resolved, then people can volunteer to be ‘databased’ by accepting the necessary security checks and research for inclusion. Their reward is a fast and hassle-free journey through the airport whenever they need to fly, and safer air travel for all involved. Airports, governments, and other organisations can then begin to concentrate on those passengers not on the database.

The S-Travel project may eventually facilitate the linking of air transport organisations with governmental organisations, or other authorities that need to be involved, but that issue is not up to SITA to decide. SITA’s role is to get the right information to the right people at the right time – something that the industry has relied on SITA to do for more than 50 years. The intention is simply to use the knowledge and expertise that already exists within SITA and amongst its customer airports, airlines and other organisations, to reinforce secure and efficient air travel at minimum cost as soon as possible.