Why airlines use tamper evident labels, seals and tamper evident tape

Many retailers may use tamper evident labels, tamper evident seals and even tamper evident tape to protect their products from being stolen. However, did you know that at least 40 airlines worldwide also use tamper evident security features (such as tamper evident tape) to seal airplane doors? This ensures that no one tries to steal the airplane or stows away on the airplane without being noticed, while it’s stationary.

This also ensures that the airplane controls are not changed and everything is operating normally for the next day’s business. This is why tamper evident seals (specific to each individual airline with a special color and design) are used. How can an airplane employee know if any tamper evident labels or tamper evident tape has been removed or tampered with? Once labels are removed, there is a definite break in the label that cannot simply be repaired, as it can with ordinary labels.

Few colors make it easier to read labels and tamper evident tape security warnings

How can one tell if any tamper evident tape or any tamper evident labels are broken? Each tamper evident seal, etc., has a watermarked security warning that’s easier seen with fewer colors in each airplane airline security label. Since the tamper evident labels are specially designed, no two labels or security tamper evident seals are alike. This way, an airline employee will be easily able to tell if a security seal is broken.

Because every tamper evident tape, tamper evident seals and labels are accounted for and must be assigned a special number that is noted at use, counterfeiters have a hard time designing new matching security labels and can’t break seals without detection. Records are kept of what security label was used where and is kept on file for 30 days. Because each tamper evident label is numbered, strict control is possible and accountability systems of where all labels tamper seals and tamper evident tape are placed during a procedural safety check is ensured.

Tamper evident seals help airlines secure their planes

By having tamper evident tape and labels, airline security can rest assured no one without access has set foot aboard a plane overnight. In years past, security may not have been paramount. However, since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, airlines have increasing used tamper evident security measures to ensure the safety of airline passengers and crew when a plane is sitting empty overnight.

While it may cost airlines added annual expense placing and installing seals or tamper evident tape, it’s a minimal cost compared to a damaged airplane or flight that must be delayed because of a hijacked airplane. This is why airline company officials are willing to pay a little extra in tamper evident seals and tamper evident tape in order to protect their planes.