Critics Say Air-Cargo Screening Procedures Need Improvement

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ongressional critics of air cargo security fault the Transportation Security Administration for lax oversight of air cargo, saying TSA screeners will see only a fraction of the 23 million pounds of cargo shipped on U.S. passenger and cargo planes each year, Bloomberg reported.

The criticism follows a recent Government Accountability Office report that said air-cargo security measures have been lacking for several years. (Click here for previous coverage.)

Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), has co-sponsored legislation to improve cargo security, called the situation a “disaster waiting to happen,” Bloomberg said.

Some security experts and industry lobbyists said the Bush administration has not made cargo security a top priority, missing an August deadline for issuing new regulations and failing to build consensus for stronger security standards, Bloomberg reported.

While the percentage of cargo that is screened is classified, examining every box and crate would cost about $3.6 billion over 10 years, Bloomberg said, citing TSA officials.

And some air shippers are concerned that adding additional costs on carriers could eat into profits, Bloomberg reported.