Cargo screening relies on voluntary compliance

When it comes to passenger screening, the Transportation Security Administration relies on uniformed workers and X-ray equipment at the nation's airports to keep explosives off an airliner.

But when it comes to the cargo that goes in the belly of a commercial airliner, the TSA relies on the voluntary compliance of certified shippers who vouch that the cargo they package for transport has been screened and is safe.

The TSA estimates that half of the more than 9 million pounds of cargo loaded into passenger aircraft every day is screened before arriving at an airport.

To "screen" cargo is to do a physical search, or an X-ray, or some type of explosive detection. A dog can be used in "secondary screening" of cargo on a pallet or in a container, to detect explosives, according to the TSA.

The agency also is responsible for making sure all the contents of cargo-only flights are safe.

Daniel B. Muscatello, managing director for cargo and logistics with commercial aviation consultant Landrum & Brown, and who briefed members of the JFK Air Cargo Association in March on the TSA's new cargo inspection rules, asserts the concept of cargo vulnerability can be "overrated."

"The belly cargo screening in the states has gone pretty well," Muscatello said. "I know there's concern out there, but some of the concern is politically driven. The industry as a whole has taken major steps on screening."

Getting "inbound," or cargo from overseas 100 percent screened is not easy, Muscatello said. "It's very difficult to mandate what another country should do."

The TSA estimates that as of August, 35 percent of all cargo sent from overseas airports is not screened.

The agency said it had toughened the criteria for the inspection of inbound cargo because of last week's terror plot.

A review of the TSA's plans for cargo screening done by the Government Accountability Office, published in June, found that the security agency had made progress on meeting an Aug. 1, 2010, deadline for screening 100 percent of cargo on U.S. flights, but issues remained.

The GAO found, for example, that TSA needed to dedicate more resources to inspecting the 900 facilities that are part of the Certified Cargo Screener Program, which approves cargo shippers to do screening.

TSA inspection rules

For domestic cargo or outbound international cargo

If going on a commercial airliner:

All packages must be screened - either a physical search, an X-ray or some type of explosive detection must be performed. In addition, a canine team can be used as "secondary screening" of cargo on a pallet or in a container.

If going on a cargo flight:

Nonpassenger flights do not have to have 100 percent of packages screened.

For inbound international cargo

If going on a commercial airliner:

All packages must be screened.

If going on a cargo flight:

Nonpassenger flights do not have to have 100 percent of packages screened.