Aviation Security 2011 Conference Set For February 2011

UK Home Secretary Theresa May (pictured) has announced new aviation security checks intended to curb the threat of terrorism on cargo aircraft after two explosive PETN cartridges were discovered on a flight from Yemen to Chicago. The government’s response, released Thursday, has been revealed as more details continue to emerge about the aviation security threat posed by the thwarted bomb plot.

"We are in a constant battle with the terrorists. They are always looking for another way, another innovative way, in which they can try to get around our defences,” said the home secretary in the House of Commons.

The bombs contained 300 and 400 grams respectively of the PETN explosive and were built into computer toner cartridges. Under the new UK measures, passengers will not be permitted to carry toner cartridges weighing over 500g in their hand baggage. Just days before news of last week’s foiled terrorist attack emerged, BA boss Martin Broughton argued that some US aviation security rules were too strict, criticizing regulations requiring passengers on US-bound flights to remove their shoes before boarding. "America does not do internally a lot of the things they demand that we do," he said. "We shouldn't stand for that. We should say 'we'll only do things which we consider to be essential and that you Americans also consider essential'."

Debates surrounding the balance between safety and customer service will be a key theme of the Defence IQ Aviation Security 2011 conference, taking place at London’s America Square Conference Center on February 22 - 23, 2011. Professionals in the field of aviation security will be attending the conference to hear experts on the subject talk about topics including the latest cargo screening technologies, strategies to achieve international data sharing cooperation, and the benefits of surveillance developments such as facial recognition technology.

FMI: www.homeoffice.gov.uk, www.aviationsecurityconference.com