由 lltx1822 “Prohibited Items in Air Transportation: A Key Line of Defense for Flight Safety”
Air transportation, with its characteristics of high efficiency and speed, has become an important mode for long – distance travel and cargo transportation. However, while enjoying the convenience of air transportation, we must not ignore the importance of aviation safety. And strictly controlling prohibited items in air transportation is a key line of defense to ensure flight safety.
The types of prohibited items in air transportation are numerous and cover many aspects. First, there are firearms and police equipment, including various types of military and civilian firearms, sporting guns, hunting rifles, signal guns, and even anesthesia injection guns, sample guns, and realistic toy guns. Firearms are highly lethal. In the relatively enclosed and crowded space of an aircraft, once a firearm gets out of control, the consequences will be devastating. Even a toy gun, if it is too realistic in appearance, may cause panic and disrupt the normal flight order.
Ammunition and explosive items are the “number one enemies” of air transportation. Bombs, grenades, bullets, flares, explosives, detonators, fuses, etc., these items have huge explosive power. During the flight of an aircraft, environmental factors such as air pressure and temperature change greatly. Explosive items are very likely to explode due to factors such as vibration, friction, or temperature changes, instantly destroying the aircraft and leading to the tragedy of the aircraft crashing and all on board perishing. In 2019, there was a news report that a passenger attempted to carry a homemade explosive device onto an aircraft. Fortunately, the security check personnel discovered and dealt with it in time, avoiding a potentially major disaster.
Controlled knives are also strictly prohibited from being carried on aircraft. Daggers, three – edged knives, especially spring – loaded knives with self – locking devices, and other single – edged, double – edged, and three – edged knives belonging to the category of controlled knives. In the narrow cabin of an aircraft, these knives may be used by criminals as weapons to attack others, endangering the lives of passengers and crew members.
Flammable and explosive items are also an important part of prohibited items in air transportation. Alcohol, kerosene, gasoline, nitroglycerin, rosin oil, paint, etc., these items are flammable and are likely to cause a fire once they encounter a fire source or high temperature. And there are many electrical devices on an aircraft, posing a certain fire risk. If these flammable and explosive items are added, once a fire breaks out, it will spread rapidly and be difficult to control. Liquefied gases, such as butane gas cylinders and other bottled compressed gases, may leak or even explode due to changes in air pressure during the flight of an aircraft.
Poisonous substances, oxidants, corrosive substances, and radioactive substances also pose serious threats to aviation safety. Poisonous substances such as potassium cyanide and arsenic, once leaked, will cause great harm to the human body; oxidants and peroxides such as sodium peroxide and ammonium nitrate may cause violent chemical reactions; corrosive substances such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid will damage the structure and equipment of the aircraft; radioactive substances will cause radiation hazards to the human body and the aircraft’s electronic equipment.
In order to ensure aviation safety, airlines and airports have adopted a series of strict security inspection measures. Before boarding, passengers must go through multiple security inspection procedures. Luggage needs to be inspected by X – ray machines, and passengers need to be inspected by metal detectors. For cargo transportation, there are also strict security inspection processes. However, there are still some people who try to carry prohibited items on board or check them in 侥幸. This behavior is not only irresponsible for their own lives but also a serious threat to the lives of other passengers and crew members. Each of us should fully understand the hazards of prohibited items in air transportation, strictly abide by the relevant regulations, and jointly maintain aviation safety.