Aviation Security and Organizational Behavior

Abstract

The security of the aviation supply chain is fostered mainly by a standard screening system that indiscriminately checks all that is aimed at entering an aircraft. However, the sustainability of this system needs to be assessed, and the time is appropriate to think about revisiting tradition. The mismatch between the rate of aviation infrastructure development and the unrelenting growth in the demand for air travel means airports would be particularly strained for space including the necessary footprint for security processing. Furthermore, as illustrated by events of the recent past, there exists the risk of attempting security breaches from an off-airport environment. An intelligence ingredient (a combination of risk-based methods, observation of behavior, and direct operator-user engagement) to support prescriptive methods of processing would allow for more efficient use of finite security resources. For this purpose, it is essential for an aviation organization to be viewed in a holistic manner and for security to integrate its internal culture. By ensuring that such culture is constructive, security awareness should permeate the organization, and security processing would actually start from the point of initial contact with the user.

Ink cartridge bomb found on Chicago-bound jet linked to mobile phone SIM card

Daily Mail, 30 October 2010