Air, Freight News


Global K9 calls for UK screening rules overhaul

[ July 2, 2026   //   ]

Dog screener, Global K9, is calling on UK regulators to review regulations for aerospace cargo.

Chief commercial officer, Chris Daniels, told delegates at the Multimodal 2026 exhibition in Birmingham, that aircraft engines cannot currently be screened by certified canine teams in the UK and, as a result, are routinely sentby road to airports including Liège and Brussels, where canine screening is permitted under European regulations.

Once screened in Europe, that cargo can then be accepted as screened cargo by the UK, “a costly and polluting detour”, said Daniels. “Despite canine screening for aircraft engines being adopted in other countries and supported by experienced screening providers, regulation has not yet caught up with operational capability.

GK9 began European operations in December 2024 and now operates in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK, with Free Running Explosive Detection Dogs (FREDDs) at Heathrow, Gatwick Airport and Aberdeen International Airport.

In the US, the company works closely with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to support the development of canine cargo screening regulations and became the first organisation to operate a TSA approved Certified Cargo Screening Facility.

Drawing on that experience, Daniels said greater collaboration between industry and regulators could help modernise UK screening policy while maintaining security.

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