Monday, Nov 01, 2010
FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--Lufthansa Cargo, the logistics unit of German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE), Monday called for an international harmonization of security screenings for air freight following the discovery of explosives on two U.S.-bound flights.
A set of various national standards don't suffice to provide adequate security, said company spokesman Michael Goentgens.
He added that Lufthansa Cargo intends to stick to its existing screening practices and at present won't consider increasing security measures.
His comments come after parcel bombs were found Friday aboard U.S.-bound cargo flights that originated from Yemen.
Lufthansa Cargo had previously introduced an embargo on air freight from Yemen and some central African countries deemed to have inadequate security standards, Goentgens said.
In response to the bomb finds the German government Saturday suspended all air cargo flights from Yemen after a package containing explosives was removed from a cargo plane at East Midlands airport in the U.K. after a stop at Cologne-Bonn airport in Germany.
Government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters Monday that officials will "review in particular the question of whether the ban on freight should apply not just to Yemen, but to other countries as well." He didn't say which other countries might fall under a freight ban.
-By Kirsten Bienk, Dow Jones Newswires; +49 69 29 725 503; kirsten.bienk@dowjones.com
(Patrick McGroarty in Berlin contributed to this article.)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
01-11-10 1540GMT
