The discovery of explosive devices being shipped to the U.S. this week raised fears that al-Qaeda was plotting new terrorist attacks that would exploit weaknesses in screening air cargo.
Airline passengers have been asked to remove shoes and laptop computers when they go through security, but the changes in handling of air cargo since 2001 have been much less visible.
The Transportation Security Administration is responsible for overseeing the safety of cargo shipments in the United States, but security measures differ from country to country.
Richard Bloom, an aviation-security expert at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said that because terrorists change their tactics, security guidelines need to be flexible.
Some questions and answers about cargo rules:
Q. Will the discovery of explosive materials in shipments bound for the U.S. lead to changes in cargo rules?
A. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says it is taking extra steps to improve security, including heightened cargo screening. The agency didn’t give many details, and it said some of the changes won’t be apparent to travelers.
Q. Do airlines in the U.S. have to inspect cargo shipped on passenger jets?
A. Yes. Since Aug. 1, airlines have been required to screen or inspect all cargo on passenger planes flying within the United States or leaving the U.S. for other countries. A lot of cargo other than baggage gets shipped on passenger airlines. Cargo is a big revenue source for airlines.
Q. What about cargo coming to the U.S. on a passenger airline from another country?
A. That’s a big weakness in the system. The Government Accountability Office estimated this summer that by August, only 65 percent of all cargo coming into the United States would be screened. TSA has been talking to officials in other countries to win their cooperation in stricter screening of cargo headed to the U.S. Brandon Fried, a cargo security expert and executive director of the Airforwarders Association, said most countries are eager to screen cargo.
Q. What about cargo-only airlines?
A. The 100 percent screening requirement for passenger airlines doesn’t apply to cargo shipped on cargo-only airlines.
