Definitions in Air Cargo

-  Account consignor: An entity who originates cargo and whose security procedures have been assessed by a Regulated Agent or air carrier, as being sufficient to allow carriage of that cargo on an all-cargo aircraft without further screening.

-  Act of unlawful interference: These are acts or attempted acts intended to jeopardize the safety of civil aviation and air transport, i.e.:

Unlawful seizure of aircraft in flight, 

Unlawful seizure of aircraft on the ground,
Hostage-taking on board aircraft or on aerodromes,
Forcible intrusion on board an aircraft, at an airport or on the premises of an aeronautical facility,
Introduction on board an aircraft or at an airport of a weapon or hazardous device or material intended for criminal purposes,
Communication of false information such as to jeopardize the safety of an aircraft in flight or on the ground, of passengers, crew, ground personnel or the general public, at an airport or on the premises of a civil aviation facility.

-  All-cargo aircraft: An aircraft configured for only the transport of cargo (i.e. no passenger compartment).
-  Appropriate authority (for aviation security): The authority designated by a State within its administration to be responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of the national civil aviation security programme.

-  Authorized Economic Operator (AEO):  An entity involved in the international movement of goods who has been approved by or on behalf of a national Customs administration as complying with World Customs Organization (WCO) or equivalent supply chain security standards.
-  Aviation Security: A combination of measures, human and material resources intended to safeguard civil aviation against any act of unlawful interference.
-  Aviation Security Programme: A programme which sets out all aspects of the arrangements, standards and procedures to be followed by an entity so as to consistently achieve required levels of aviation security.
- Background check: A check of a person's identity and previous experience, including where legally permissible, any criminal history, as part of the assessment of an individual's suitability to implement a security control and/or for unescorted access to a security restricted area.
- Cargo: Any property carried on an aircraft other than mail, stores and accompanied or mishandled baggage. Note: For the purposes of handling, loading, securing and transporting, operator’s stores and COMAT are treated as cargo.
- Combination (air) carrier: Air carriers who transport both cargo and passengers on the same aircraft and on which the cargo and passenger areas are separated by a barrier or net.
- Dangerous Goods (DG): Articles or substances that are capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment when transported by air, and which are classified as such in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).
- Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR): A document (manual) published by IATA in order to provide procedures for the shipper and the operator by which articles and substances with hazardous properties can be safely transported by air on commercial flights.
- Exempt cargo: Cargo is normally exempt because of its nature, or because other protective measures are routinely applied, and the appropriate authority of the State concerned believes the application of security controls is therefore unnecessary. Note: Commodity types that are granted exempt status vary between States.
- Express cargo: Time critical material normally collected and delivered on a door-to-door basis.
- Flight simulation: This is achieved by subjecting the cargo to a simulation process, which effectively reproduces flight conditions normally expected on the route the cargo is intended to fly, including atmospheric changes and duration.
- Harmonization: Harmonization is achieved when security standards and controls, which are of a similar type and effectiveness (of deterrence and detection capability) are similarly implemented.
- ICAO:  is the acronym for the International Civil Aviation Organization.
- IOSA: is the acronym for IATA Operational Safety Audit.
- ISAGO: is the acronym for IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations.
- Known cargo: A consignment of cargo accepted by a regulated agent or operator directly from a regulated agent, operator or known shipper/consignor, to which appropriate security controls have already been applied, and which is thereafter protected from unlawful interference, Or A consignment of unknown cargo that has been subjected to appropriate security controls, made “known,” and which is thereafter protected from unlawful interference.
- Mail: Dispatches of correspondence and other objects tendered by and intended for delivery to postal administrations in accordance with the rules of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
- Mutual recognition: Recognition and acceptance by two or more State appropriate authorities of the equivalence and acceptability of each other’s aviation security programmes.
-  National Aviation Security Programme: The documented programme of a State for safeguarding civil aviation operations against acts of unlawful interference through regulations practices and procedures that take into account the safety, regularity and efficiency of flights.
- Operator: A person, organization or enterprise engaged in or offering to engage in an aircraft operation.
- Originator: A grower, manufacturer or assembler of goods who handles the cargo at the origin of the air cargo supply chain.
- Proportionate:  A proportionate cargo security solution should provide suitable and sufficient deterrent and detection capability, given the nature and severity of threat. No more and no less.
- Quality control: The audit, inspection or testing of the output of a process, which may be a product, service or function, to determine an operator’s compliance with the requirements of the security programme Or Quality control activities are typically sponsored by operations, maintenance or security managers, who have the direct responsibility for the security of operations.
- Regulated Agent: An agent, freight forwarder or other entity who conducts business with an operator and provides security controls that are accepted or required by the appropriate authority in respect of cargo, courier, express parcels or mail.
-  Screening: The application of technical or other means which are intended to identify and/or detect weapons, explosives or other dangerous devices, articles or substances which may be used to commit an act of unlawful interference.
- Security audit: An in-depth compliance examination of all aspects of the implementation of the national civil aviation security programme.
-  Secure cargo: This has the same meaning as known cargo.
-  Security control: A means by which the introduction of weapons, explosives or other dangerous devices, articles or substances, intended for use to commit an act of unlawful interference, can be prevented.
- Security Equipment: Devices of a specialized nature for use, individually or as part of a system, in the prevention or detection of acts of unlawful interference with civil aviation and its facilities.
-  Security inspection: An examination of the implementation of relevant national civil aviation security programme requirements by an airline, airport, or other entity involved in security.
-  Security Management System (SEMS): The documented system of an Operator based on threat assessment to ensure security operations consistently fulfill all requirements mandated in the national civil aviation security programme of the State of the Operator in the most efficient and cost effective manner considering the operational environment of the airline.
-  Security Manual: A manual or series of separate manuals containing policies, procedures, instructions and other guidance relevant to the implementation of the Security Programme, which is intended for use by operational personnel in the execution of their duties.
- Security Programme: A programme consisting of requirements and/or standards adopted for the purpose of safeguarding international civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference. The Security Programme of an operator is in compliant with the requirements of applicable civil aviation security authorities in the State of the Operator and States where operations are conducted.
- Security Survey: An evaluation of security needs including the identification of vulnerabilities that could be exploited to carry out an act of unlawful interference, and the recommendation of corrective actions.
- Security Test: A covert or overt trial of an aviation security measure that simulates an attempt to commit an unlawful act.
- Security Threat: A measure of the probability of an act of unlawful interference being committed against civil aviation.
- Baseline threat level: Indicates low threat conditions where, in the absence of verifiable intelligence information to indicate that any aircraft operator or airport has been targeted for attack, there may be the possibility of unlawful interference by individuals or groups due to causes such as civil unrest, labor disputes and the active presence of anti-government factions.
- Intermediate threat level: Intelligence information indicates there is a probability that one or more aircraft operators and/or airports are targeted for attack.
- High threat level: Intelligence information indicates that one or more aircraft operators and/or airports are specifically targeted for attack.
-  Sustainable: To be sustainable solutions must be operationally and financially deliverable in the long-term.
-  Transshipment cargo: Any consignment of cargo which has been transported to an airport in a state other than the one in which it originated for onward carriage by air.
- Unknown Cargo: A consignment of cargo tendered to a regulated agent or operator that has not been submitted to appropriate security controls, or a consignment of cargo subjected to appropriate security controls that may have or is confirmed to have been subjected to unlawful interference.