The arrest of an airline mechanic suspected of being sympathetic with terrorists and charged with sabotaging a jetliner has renewed fear about the "insider threat" to aviation security. Despite security upgrades since the hijacking terror attacks of 2001, breaches including a gun-running operation at the nation's biggest airport illustrate the possibility that a well-placed airline or airport employee could bring down a plane. "Should people be worried? Hell, yeah," says Doron Pely, a former aviation security consultant in Israel. "This doesn't require a suicide bomber. It requires access to an airframe, an aircraft and motivation." Several experts interviewed said it would be difficult if not impossible to stop every determined criminal or terrorist. <br/>
general
Germany’s coalition govt has agreed to double the country’s short-haul aviation tax and impose a minimum fare rule in 2020. After marathon negotiations, the govt decided to double the current E7.38 (US$8.17) tax per passenger departing from German airports, effective Jan 1, 2020. The additional revenue is to be used to finance a reduction of the VAT on train tickets from the current 19% to 7%. The moves come as the country struggles to achieve its 2030 emissions reduction targets. Germany’s aviation tax—with separate rates for short-, medium- and long-haul flights—currently costs the industry E1.2b annually. Industry sources say the new increase will cost it another E600m. Lufthansa expects additional costs of E250m. There appear to be no plans to increase the medium- and long-haul tax rates. <br/>
China’s govt is increasing the pressure on domestic airlines to use more jets developed and manufactured in the country, a push that could present a big challenge to Boeing and Airbus. China’s 3 leading airlines recently placed sizeable orders for domestically made regional jets. One airline is also setting up a company to operate a fleet of domestic jetliners. Beijing envisions a future in which Chinese airlines are less dependent on Boeing and Airbus and in which made-in-China aircraft find overseas customers. In February, a senior civil aviation official announced the launch of a govt-backed plan to promote the use of domestically made jetliners; the 3 big carriers’ recent ARJ21 orders are early signs of its effectiveness. <br/>