Originally Posted by
Steelehc
Surprisingly, I disagree with that last sentence.
I would support the TSA being made into a regulatory agency under the umbrella of the FAA, responsible for determining what level of security is required at what airports. The implementation of that security would then be wholly up to the airport operator.
This would not only mean that BWI would have tighter security than, say, Merle K "Mudhole" Smith Airport in Corvoda, AK, but that both would be actually implemented by the airport managers themselves.
This is not to say that the current level of security is anything more than a joke, but simply ratcheting back the level of searches isn't enough. The whole system needs to change directions.
Your suggestion is almost the way it used to be arranged. The FAA had the Office of Civil Aviation Security, headed by an FAA Assistant Administrator. They wrote basic guidance & policy, conducted R&D, had a 24/7 watch which was tied into the intelligence and counter-terrorism communities; and, issued warnings as appropriate. Individual airports were empowered to implement these guidelines and policies and tailor them to their own location. To be sure, they had their share of silliness -- the "Did you pack your own bags?" questions, for example. The Argenbrights were given some very basic responsibilities to keep guns and bombs off airplanes. And, darn it, things worked pretty well until we allowed our government to royally screw things up.