A forwarder’s reflection on 9/11 and aviation security

Twenty years have passed since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which devastated the U.S. and changed our generation's memory forever. Along with the rest of the country, the transportation industry was struck by the seemingly insurmountable fear and devastation perpetrated so close to home. But we gathered, with incredible resilience, strength, and encouragement, to move forward as a country despite the unparalleled violence and destruction. While vulnerabilities still remain, the freight transportation industry has made tremendous progress toward securing the supply chain since that fateful day. [caption id="attachment_93852" align="alignright" width="225"] Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the U.S. Airforwarders Association[/caption] On a personal level, I had flown across the country to Seattle, Wash., on the afternoon of Sept. 10, in anticipation of an Airforwarders Association board meeting the following morning. Despite the tragedy that morning, we held the board meeting at Alaska Airlines Headquarters. Shortly afterward, I joined two colleagues for a long and somber drive back across the country. The journey, though arduous, gave three freight forwarders plenty of time to consider the situation and discuss how it would impact the future of our industry and our country. We were all stunned by the events of Sept. 11, but we also reflected on the warnings leading up to that fateful date. The World Trade Center, for example, had a bombing in its garage a few years earlier. At the same time, the airline industry grappled with threats indicating terrorists could use planes for destruction in carrying out assaults against our country. Cargo and baggage received focus due to the previous bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, years before, when explosives packed in luggage detonated and destroyed the plane. Despite all of these escalating events, the possibility of hijackers committing suicide by flying aircraft full of innocent passengers into iconic landmarks throughout the country was still inconceivable. Shortly after Sept. 11, Congress passed the Air Transportation Security Act, and with it created the Transportation Security Administration. This new agency's mission was to secure the transportation supply chain, starting immediately by implementing a plan for physical screening of all passenger baggage using the most modern technology available. In the years following the regulations and technology evolved and today, all passenger baggage worldwide is screened to a standard determined by the TSA and its agency counterparts overseas. A similar requirement applies to air cargo, with all shipments flown internationally on passenger flights and freighters receiving physical screening by approved technology and even canines provided by third-party handlers before boarding. At a recent TSA Aviation Security Advisory Committee meeting, TSA Administrator David Pekoske recognized this fateful anniversary. He acknowledged the ways our industry and approach to security have changed dramatically since then, including the foundation of the committee itself. The TSA Security Advisory Committee model has been replicated by many federal agencies because of the valuable insight and opportunities to improve security it has yielded. Today, collaborative discussion between government and industry in specific areas, such as freight transportation, is used to inform decisions and shape policy. However, the threats are still here and, Pekoske explained, our nation must remain vigilant. Through this work with stakeholder groups, defense experts and lawmakers, the TSA has developed and implemented counter-terrorism protocols designed to mitigate attacks like we experienced 20 years ago. The agency, in collaboration with industry partners, has done great work to improve security and threat analysis capabilities at airports. Complacency is not an option. The agency routinely communicates with other governments and policing agencies, including Interpol, to assess these personnel threats, but they have also developed inherent preventative measures. One initiative allows for proactive threat review, by enrolling all aviation employees and contractors in a program that notifies authorities in real time of concerning activity. Regulations have been put into place to ensure that all air cargo workers with unescorted access to shipments must also undergo an agency security threat assessment before handling them. In addition, supervisors employ multimodal screening devices to conduct staff screening in the field. We have come a long way since Sept. 11, but more work is undoubtedly needed. The threat landscape is constantly changing and presenting new dangers that didn’t exist 20 years ago. For regulations and laws to be effective, they must allow for the unfettered flow of commerce while deterring terrorists from attacking our supply chain. It is only through the continued, frequent collaboration between governments and stakeholders that we will achieve the ideal balance of security and efficiency. Though we are safer now, the threat against transportation endures, and only by working together will we stop it.

A forwarder’s reflection on 9/11 and aviation security

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