Screening of Cargo, Mail, Catering and Stores
Why cargo is different
Passenger screening is largely centralised and visible. Cargo, mail, catering and stores enter the aircraft through many routes, handled by many organisations, often long before departure. The threat includes explosive and incendiary devices, unauthorised persons concealed in consignments, and contamination of catering and stores.
The core principle: known versus unknown
The central concept is the known consignor / regulated agent regime. Cargo is either screened by approved methods or originates from a validated secure supply chain, and is protected from unlawful interference from the point of security control to the aircraft. Chain of custody and tamper-evident sealing are essential: a consignment that is secure but then left unattended is no longer secure.
Screening methods include X-ray, explosive detection, trace detection, physical examination and, where permitted, canine teams. Mail may be subject to additional controls because of anonymity of the sender. Catering and stores must be controlled from preparation to delivery, with access control to catering facilities and seals on trolleys and containers.
Traps
- Assuming a known consignor removes all controls. It shifts the control point upstream; protection in transit is still required.
- Confusing screening with secure supply chain. They are alternative routes to the same assurance.
- Ignoring the return leg: catering trolleys returning from an aircraft can carry items in the wrong direction.
Worked example
A pallet arrives from a regulated agent with an intact seal. The seal number matches the documentation, but the pallet has been left unattended on the apron for an hour. The correct answer is that the consignment must be treated as no longer secure and re-screened or re-secured, because chain of custody was broken.