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TSA to Tighten Security for Airport Workers

Airline and airport workers will face increased scrutiny following high-profile security lapses involving badged employees.

Badged airport employees and airline workers will be subject to stepped-up security scrutiny and random checks by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) according to recent reports. The TSA move comes after recent, highly publicized cases of airport workers accused of taking advantage of their access to smuggle drugs and cash through secure areas of airports and is part of an effort to re-double efforts to protect air travel in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Paris and the suspected terrorist downing of a Russian airliner in the skies over Egypt.

In a memo obtained by ABC News, American Airlines security chief Jose Freig warned employees that they may face additional security attention at U.S. airports. “We anticipate the random screening process to increase throughout December and during the 2016 calendar year,” Freig wrote.

The warnings of stepped-up security for airline workers seem to be in line with a November 30 statement from Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and is part of an effort in place since April of 2015. At the time, Johnson said the TSA has steadily “enhanced the continuous, random screening of airport/airline personnel in secure areas and encouraged U.S. airports to reduce employee access points.”

“The TSA Administrator and I have recently concluded that we need to double-down on these airport security efforts and will be consulting with airports and airlines to do so,” Secretary Johnson added.

[Photo: Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

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