Even if American freight carriers were to copy El Al, Israel's airline, and hold goods for a day for security checks, it would not greatly erode the advantages of air freight over other means of transport.

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Continental Airlines (nyse: CAL - news - people ) is testing similar technology on its transatlantic flights, and Federal Express, Airborne Freight (nyse: ABF - news - people ) and other freight carriers have participated in earlier ADS-B tests.

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EUjet flights were suspended last Tuesday but flights from other carriers, particularly freight companies, had continued.

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But the relative proportion of total fuel use can be extrapolated by comparing passenger kilometers traveled versus tonne-kilometers for freight on the top 10 carriers.

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America's rail advantages again began to shine compared with the nationally regulated carriers of Europe, where freight plays a secondary role to passenger traffic (the reverse is true in America, where passenger rail is still a poorly served and money-losing industry).

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Utilizing up-to-date detection technologies, carriers should again be allowed to carry freight and mail in the same aircraft as passengers.

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