ANAC hosts Transportation Security Administration (TSA) committee to discuss AVSEC actions

The National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) received a committee of representatives from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the authority responsible for security aspects against acts of unlawful interference in the transportation systems of the United States, to discuss actions related to security at Brazilian airports. The meeting took place on March 20 and 21 at the ANAC headquarters, in Brasilia. 

The TSA was represented by the staff of the Operational Center in Miami, responsible for evaluating aspects of civil aviation security in airport operations in South American countries that have direct flights to the U.S., through the operational manager Julian Persaud, supervisor Steven Betancourt and the TSA attaché at the U.S. embassy in Brasilia, Scott Bayers. 

On the occasion, they presented the results of the visits made to the Brazilian airports in 2022, in order to align understandings and corrective actions, considering the provisions of Annex 17 of the International Civil Aviation Convention (ICAO). Issues related to the Aviation Security Quality Control (AVSEC) carried out in Brazil were also addressed, as well as the risk methodology developed and used to plan the inspection activities.

Aviation security in Brazil

During the meeting, ANAC presented to the TSA the recent work developed in the country, such as the approval of the new National Program of Civil Aviation against Illegal Interference Acts (PNAVSEC), held through Decree No. 11.195, September 8, 2022, and the regulatory change that will allow minors traveling unaccompanied on domestic flights to be conducted by a guardian to the departure lounge and from the departure lounge upon arrival at their destination. 

The representatives took the opportunity to start discussions for the implementation of a joint project called One Stop Security (OSS). The initiative allows for the exemption of a new inspection of passengers in international connections in Brazil, as long as a recognition process has been implemented to guarantee that the security measures carried out by the countries involved are equivalent.

Another topic discussed were the strategies developed for the protection of civil aviation against cyber-attacks, a theme that has gained strong relevance in recent years around the world.

Finally, representatives from ANAC and TSA discussed the challenges faced by the sector in managing unruly passenger behavior. The theme has been gaining relevance through successive cases involving passengers in Brazilian airports and has already been prioritized by ANAC through the inclusion of the subject in ANAC’s Regulatory Agenda for the 2023-2024 biennium. 

To learn more about aviation safety, visit the AVSEC page on ANAC’s portal (available in Portuguese only).