The Coalition for Luggage Security addresses air cargo screening

NEW YORK, N.Y.-The Coalition for Luggage Security has released commentary on publication of a Bloomberg News article entitled “Air-Cargo Screening a Disaster Waiting to Happen.” The article focuses on the financial aspects of why after 4 years since September 11th unscreened cargo, still shares space on passenger airliners.

(http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=asap.u05WtsE).

“This is an issue that will not go away until a new way of doing the same old thing is instituted. We shouldn’t wait until there is another tragedy that will destroy an airliner and the passengers onboard. Unscreened or poorly screened cargo and luggage are a threat to anyone who flies. A radical but rational change must be made in the way we handle cargo and luggage. Let us remove cargo and luggage from the belly of passenger liners and away from the airport terminals. This will resolve two issues: the potential bomb in the airplane and the suitcase bomb in carry-on luggage detonated in the terminal,” stated Harvey Abelson, Coalition for Luggage Security Coordinator.

According to the Bloomberg article, Michael Greenberger, Director of the University of Maryland’s Center for Health and Homeland Security in Baltimore said, “The idea that there is no security in cargo holds while there is a charade of carefully screening airline passengers is a slap in the face to the airline passenger.”

“The airlines need to move toward a cost based airfare and expand their cargo only operations. We address the issues by recommending the picking up of luggage at passenger’s homes and delivering it to their end destination. Changing old habits require either forward thinking intelligence or a tragedy. I’m rooting for intelligence on this issue rather than another tragedy forcing change,” concluded Richard Altomare, Founder and President of the Coalition for Luggage Security and CEO and Chairman of Universal Express, Inc.