#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE

Oliver Evans
Chief Cargo Officer
Swiss International Airlines

    I was in the regional head office of my former employer, we were locked up in a top level meeting which was interrupted by the assistant who said "something really big" was going on, and she thought we should know. We ignored her and carried on, so that it was only hours later that we emerged, all the sensible people had left the office already, and I only learned about the enormity of the event when I got home that evening and saw the television. Yet from that moment on I was gripped, not only because of the drama of the pictures, but because I had worked for several years on the 49th floor of one of the towers and had a chest of memories and connections from that office.
     My initial thoughts were therefore a largely incoherent jumble of questions: Who did this? Why? Were any of the people who shared that office with me still working there, and if so were they safe? Slowly, on that day and successive days, and intermittently ever since, my brain restored order in my thoughts, allowed me to digest the news and the pain.
     The core of my reflection is always the recognition that we human beings, under very special and fortunately relatively rare circumstances, are capable of the most horrific brutality towards each other, and in fact, there is no limit to what we will do. This has happened in all parts of the world and throughout history, and the holocaust or 9/11 are just particularly shocking examples.
     The most disturbing thing is that it is not only desperation that drives us to such acts (poverty, lack of jobs or prospects, lack of education), but also fanaticism, so that well educated and skilled people (like the 9/11 pilots) pervert their intelligence to such scarcely imaginable goals. And it is incumbent upon all of us to reflect upon what the circumstances are, that bring our brothers or sisters from whatever cultural background they come from, to such acts of ghastly cruelty.
     That day of course changed the course of history. It triggered a chain of events that led to the sad years of sectarian violence in Iraq, but it is also connected to the possible new dawn in parts of the Middle East and Africa that had only known repression and inequality for decades.
     It also changed the course of air cargo history. It triggered knee-jerk reactions from governments and regulatory authorities, resulting in improved security at a huge cost. Not only the cost of x-ray equipment and all of the policing that goes on around it, but also the cost of countless hours of often futile, uncoordinated debate and reactions.
     Security is akin to an armaments race, there will never be 100% security because there will always be perverted brains plotting to find the next loophole. Ultimate security will come about when we have found ways of sharing wealth and opportunities in an equitable fashion all across the globe.
     In the meantime all we air cargo professionals can do is to strive for that goal of 100% security, by implementing intelligent, coordinated layers of deterrence throughout our supply chains.
     Those endless hours of debate do have a happy ending though, as we are seeing today far more coordination between governments, and between industry and regulatory authorities, than ever before. And numerous people are busy working on far better technology and processes so that hopefully, one day, you and I will be able to travel without the ludicrous and horribly expensive burden of taking off our shoes or presenting a laptop.