Unit 7

• Aviation security focuses on managing events and situations that involve other people's malicious intentions to disrupt the safe operation of civil aviation
• One of the main reasons aviation is the target of unlawful interference is its high media and political attention, large commercial value, and prestige
• Aviation Security (AVSEC) is the combination of material, human resources, and measures intended to counter unlawful interference with aviation, aimed at protecting passengers, crew, airlines, airport employees, and the general public
• Acts of unlawful interference in aviation include unlawful seizure, hostage-taking, boarding an aircraft or entering an airport with weapons or explosives, and communication of false information like bomb threats
• Groups engaged in acts of unlawful interference in aviation include Criminal Groups, Terrorists, Political Activists, and Refugees
• Criminal Groups disrupt airline operations for personal gain, while Terrorists have political or religious motives and seek maximum publicity for their cause
• Political Activists perform unlawful interference to gain publicity for their cause, while Refugees rarely attempt unlawful acts against aircraft to seek asylum or help from authorities
• Aviation security measures focus on airport security, aircraft security, passengers and cabin baggage checks, hold baggage screening, cargo and mail checking, inflight and airport supplies security, and staff recruitment and training
• Security measures are regularly reviewed and tested to prevent perpetrators from compromising aviation security, with a multi-layered approach to alert security personnel of any interference
• The Tokyo Convention allows the restraint of any person on board who is or is about to interfere with the safety of the aircraft
• The Hague Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft provides guidance for governments dealing with hijackings on international flights
• The Montreal Convention prohibits and punishes behavior that may threaten the safety of Civil Aviation
• ICAO is a multilateral treaty that prohibits and punishes behavior threatening the safety of Civil Aviation
• Annex 17 of the Chicago Convention, published by the International Civil Aviation Authority, contains Standard and Recommended Practices for national authorities and airlines to comply with International Aviation Security Regulations
• Each country has its own National Aviation Security Programme, determined by its government or national aviation authority, covering requirements for cabin crew training, security pass issue, passenger searches, airline and airport security procedures, and maintaining security of aircraft on the ground
• Internal monitoring and inspection of security standards are conducted by airline auditors/inspectors through their Quality Control Program
• Recent advances in aviation security include:

  • Watchlist for monitoring individuals for possible terrorist activity
  • Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) for checking passenger credentials against government watchlists
  • Risk-based security profiling passengers based on risk factors
  • Trusted Traveler programs for pre-checked individuals
  • Biometric passports with enhanced security features
  • Explosives detection through random checking of cabin baggage
  • Cockpit security regulations requiring lockable flight deck doors
• Blast-proof baggage containers are developed to contain explosions and prevent destruction of aircraft
• Advanced Imaging Technology in passenger screening devices creates computer images of passengers to detect concealed items, using low dose "backscatter" X-ray technology
• Cabin crew must safeguard their uniform, identification card, and airline operations manual to prevent terrorists from gaining information about security procedures
• On-board security procedures for cabin crew include:

  • Conducting aircraft security searches
  • Accepting inflight provisions
  • Challenging, checking, and supervising all persons embarking the aircraft
  • Maintaining safety and security awareness at the highest level
• The course disclaimer states that it will only share general information and strategies, with more detailed training provided by airline training according to the regulator's curriculum
• Criminal Groups disrupt airline operations for personal gain, while Terrorists have political or religious motives and seek maximum publicity for their cause
• Political Activists perform unlawful interference to gain publicity for their cause, while Refugees rarely attempt unlawful acts against aircraft to seek asylum or help from authorities
• Aviation security measures focus on airport security, aircraft security, passengers and cabin baggage checks, cargo and mail screening, inflight and airport supplies security, and staff recruitment and training
• The Tokyo Convention allows the restraint of any person on board who is or is about to interfere with the safety of the aircraft
• The Hague Convention deals with unlawful seizure of aircraft, while the Montreal Convention aims to suppress unlawful acts against the safety of civil aviation
• ICAO is a multilateral treaty where states agree to prohibit and punish behavior that may threaten the safety of Civil Aviation
• Annex 17 of the Chicago Convention, published by the International Civil Aviation Authority, contains Standard and Recommended Practices for national authorities and airlines to comply with International Aviation Security Regulations
• Each country has its own National Aviation Security Programme, determined by its government or national aviation authority, covering general requirements regarding all aviation matters within the country
• The National Aviation Security Programme provides airline operators with requirements for cabin crew training, security pass issue, passenger searches, airline and airport security procedures, and processes to maintain aircraft security on the ground
• Internal monitoring and inspection of security standards are conducted by airline auditors/inspectors through their Quality Control Program
• Recent advances in aviation security include:

  • Watchlist for monitoring individuals for possible terrorist activity
  • Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) for checking passenger credentials against government watchlists
  • Risk-based security profiling passengers before allowing them to check-in
  • Trusted Traveler programs for pre-checking individuals by government agencies
  • Biometric passports with enhanced security features
  • Explosives detection through random checking of cabin baggage for traces of explosives
• Advanced Imaging Technology in passenger screening devices creates a computer image of passengers to indicate any concealed item, regardless of its composition
• Cabin crew must safeguard their uniform, identification card, and airline operations manual to prevent terrorists from gaining information about security procedures
• On-board security procedures for cabin crew include:

  • Conducting aircraft security searches
  • Accepting inflight provisions
  • Challenging, checking, and supervising all persons embarking the aircraft
  • Maintaining safety and security awareness at the highest level
• In aviation, unruly behavior on aircraft is categorized into three levels, with Level 1 being the lowest level, including behaviors like being verbally abusive, disruptive, refusing crew instructions, and smoking on board

  
• The Tokyo Convention applies to unruly behavior during international flights, allowing prosecution of individuals who interfere with the aircraft, its systems, passengers, or crew
• The Montreal Protocol 2014 extends the jurisdiction over offenses to the destination country of the flight in addition to the country of aircraft registration
• ICAO released new legal guidance on managing disruptive passengers in the Manual on the Legal Aspects of Unruly and Disruptive Passengers (Doc 10117)