ACPA Letter: Resources Wasted in Canada Screening Pilots

Safety is the number one issue for Air Canada pilots. However, the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) believes the current pilot screening procedures at some airports are unnecessary.

The prime threat to aircraft security is an unauthorized person seizing control of the aircraft. The repetitive screening of pilots ignores the obvious fact that we are already in control of the aircraft. Proper identification, not searches, is the key to pilot security.

Most major Canadian airports, including Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver, understand this fact. They have processes that recognize the role pilots play on aircraft and require mandatory identification checks and occasional screening for both pilots and employees, who must pass through security many times each day.

Unfortunately, national security measures are not consistent. A few airports, particularly Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, insist on repetitive screening for pilots. Yet, at these same airports, many other employees need only show identification to enter secure areas. The resources currently being used to unnecessarily screen flight crews could be reallocated to passenger screening and other security initiatives. This would improve both the efficiency of airline operations and the quality of the passenger's travel experience, without compromising security.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), the organization that is required to ensure consistency in security procedures across the country, has asked for input from all stakeholders in optimizing the system. ACPA is pleased to be involved in this process and did highlight this issue in our submission.

As a long-term solution, we support CATSA's initiative to implement biometric identification cards, which confirm identity through fingerprint or iris scans, to ensure we maintain our high levels of security, while recognizing the role pilots play on aircraft.

Kent Wilson, President,

Air Canada Pilots Association, Mississauga

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