Airline Association Calls for More Security After Malaysia Plane Disappearance
The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 highlights the need for security improvements both in tracking aircraft and screening passengers before they board planes, according to the International Air Transport Association.
The global airline association announced Tuesday that it is creating a task force to make recommendations by the end of the year on how commercial aircraft can be tracked continuously, The Associated Press reports.
“We cannot let another aircraft simply vanish,” says Tony Tyler, the director general of IATA. “In a world where our every move seems to be tracked, there is disbelief that an aircraft could simply disappear. Accidents are rare, but the current search for 370 is a reminder that we cannot be complacent on safety.”
Tyler called on governments to increase the use of passenger databases, such as the one operated by Interpol to determine if a passport has been stolen. According to AP, Interpol has a database of 40 million stolen or lost travel documents, but most countries don’t run passports through its computer system.
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