IATA director general, Giovanni Bisignani is urging governments not to implement changes to air cargo security that could cripple the industry. Speaking at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Istanbul, Bisignani said: "We must resist the knee-jerk call for 100 per cent cargo screening. The industry must be secure with effective measures that facilitate the speed needed to support global commerce." The IATA head called instead for the industry's approach towards air cargo security to focus on "supply chain security, scanning technology and better use of e-freight data." A report by Flight Global said IATA is aiming to ensure the security of shipments along the supply chain from the packing stage to the cargo being loaded onto aircraft. It said IATA's Safe Freight Initiative that is being piloted in Malaysia addresses this goal, and the United Arab Emirates is expected to adopt the measure later this year. The IATA chief also called on the aviation industry to ensure websites allowing customers to arrange shipment of packages by air "face up to their responsibilities for ensuring consignments are safe," the report said. Bisignani warns that failure to do with could lead to a potential "catastrophe." "There is an emerging risk with internet-based commerce that we must address," Bisignani was quoted as saying. "Individual sellers through websites are not professional shippers. They don't know their responsibilities to label, pack and declare dangerous goods. "All air cargo stakeholders must find a way to bring these websites to action to inform their customers of their responsibility. And we must do this fast, before we have a catastrophe." (schednet)