USA Today: Airports object to latest background checks
Oct 23, 2007, 1:43 am
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: PDX
Programs: TSA Refusenik charter member
Posts: 15,978
USA Today: Airports object to latest background checks
LINK
WASHINGTON — A security policy that mandates government background checks of new airport hires, including sales clerks, waiters and custodians, is drawing protests from some airports that say they can't hire workers because clearances take so long.
Two leading airport associations asked the Transportation Security Administration to rescind or revise the policy that took effect Oct. 1 in a TSA effort to improve scrutiny of airport workers.
"The new process is not working," Airports Council International President Greg Principato said in a letter Thursday to TSA chief Kip Hawley. "Businesses are contemplating shutting down because of the inability to bring on new employees."
TSA spokesman Ellen Howe said the agency is working with the council and the American Association of Airport Executives to end the delays. She said they are caused by technical difficulties sending job applicants' personal information to the TSA through the airport association's computer network.
"When you start something new, it's going to take a little time to work it out," Howe said. "But we aren't going to back down on vetting people."
Two leading airport associations asked the Transportation Security Administration to rescind or revise the policy that took effect Oct. 1 in a TSA effort to improve scrutiny of airport workers.
"The new process is not working," Airports Council International President Greg Principato said in a letter Thursday to TSA chief Kip Hawley. "Businesses are contemplating shutting down because of the inability to bring on new employees."
TSA spokesman Ellen Howe said the agency is working with the council and the American Association of Airport Executives to end the delays. She said they are caused by technical difficulties sending job applicants' personal information to the TSA through the airport association's computer network.
"When you start something new, it's going to take a little time to work it out," Howe said. "But we aren't going to back down on vetting people."
Oct 23, 2007, 10:44 am
#3
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,129
The problem is that a quick vetting process inevitably is a fairly useless one in terms of providing any assurance of security. You can check their credit history and criminal background in no time flat, but anything more will take time.
I'm not advocating the delays... just pointing out that if the TSA actually wants to do thorough background checks, they're not going to be able to do them quickly without hiring a ton of new people themselves to handle it. The DSS currently takes up to two years to process SSBIs for even just collateral DoD clearances, for example, and I suspect they have a lot more resources available than does the TSA.
In the end, if they want just a criminal history check + credit check, it should be able to be done in minutes, literally. Any other delays there are the fault of the TSA's process. Now, the TSA has to ask if such a limited check is actually in-depth enough for "security" (whatever that means in this context).
I'm not advocating the delays... just pointing out that if the TSA actually wants to do thorough background checks, they're not going to be able to do them quickly without hiring a ton of new people themselves to handle it. The DSS currently takes up to two years to process SSBIs for even just collateral DoD clearances, for example, and I suspect they have a lot more resources available than does the TSA.
In the end, if they want just a criminal history check + credit check, it should be able to be done in minutes, literally. Any other delays there are the fault of the TSA's process. Now, the TSA has to ask if such a limited check is actually in-depth enough for "security" (whatever that means in this context).
Oct 23, 2007, 12:27 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,200
Simple solution...
1) don't let the TSA do the checks - the FBI can do them faster, easier and more accurately
2) airports can create two classes of badge - one for sterile access and one for non-sterile access. The non-sterile access badges either won't need a background check or can get away with a simplified one. The employees needing sterile access would undergo the more vigilant FBI check
1) don't let the TSA do the checks - the FBI can do them faster, easier and more accurately
2) airports can create two classes of badge - one for sterile access and one for non-sterile access. The non-sterile access badges either won't need a background check or can get away with a simplified one. The employees needing sterile access would undergo the more vigilant FBI check
Oct 23, 2007, 1:35 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
What I don't understand is why TSA needs to do a background check of airport workers? Why isn't it the responsibility of the airport and airlines themselves?
I thought TSA was just responsible for screening passengers and workers for dangerous items/contraband, but that the airport management was responsible for background checks?
I thought TSA was just responsible for screening passengers and workers for dangerous items/contraband, but that the airport management was responsible for background checks?
Oct 23, 2007, 1:36 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere near BWI
Programs: DL DM, HH Dia, SPG Gold, MR Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,654
What I don't understand is why TSA needs to do a background check of airport workers? Why isn't it the responsibility of the airport and airlines themselves?
I thought TSA was just responsible for screening passengers and workers for dangerous items/contraband, but that the airport management was responsible for background checks?
I thought TSA was just responsible for screening passengers and workers for dangerous items/contraband, but that the airport management was responsible for background checks?
Oct 23, 2007, 1:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
I think TSA needs to chill out a bit.
Oct 24, 2007, 6:13 am
#11
Formerly known as CollegeFlyer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: JRA
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA PLT, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 6,716
The one thing I can think of is that the McDonald's at MHT is both before and beyond security (two seating areas, and in the kitchen, employees from the non-sterile side pass the food over to the sterile side through an open window, which might be monitored by camera but isn't scanned or anything. So you can send things over to the sterile side, with no metal detector or liquid security, if you put it in a McDonald's bag. That requires, of course, that you first get a job at McDonald's at MHT...and so I think security in hiring there is an issue. But for restaurants that are completely before security it's not as big a deal IMO.
Oct 24, 2007, 7:33 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Lufthansa Miles & More, Flying Blue, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 1,894
The one thing I can think of is that the McDonald's at MHT is both before and beyond security (two seating areas, and in the kitchen, employees from the non-sterile side pass the food over to the sterile side through an open window, which might be monitored by camera but isn't scanned or anything. So you can send things over to the sterile side, with no metal detector or liquid security, if you put it in a McDonald's bag. That requires, of course, that you first get a job at McDonald's at MHT...and so I think security in hiring there is an issue. But for restaurants that are completely before security it's not as big a deal IMO.
Oct 24, 2007, 9:11 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere near BWI
Programs: DL DM, HH Dia, SPG Gold, MR Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,654
The one thing I can think of is that the McDonald's at MHT is both before and beyond security (two seating areas, and in the kitchen, employees from the non-sterile side pass the food over to the sterile side through an open window, which might be monitored by camera but isn't scanned or anything. So you can send things over to the sterile side, with no metal detector or liquid security, if you put it in a McDonald's bag. That requires, of course, that you first get a job at McDonald's at MHT...and so I think security in hiring there is an issue. But for restaurants that are completely before security it's not as big a deal IMO.
Dec 18, 2010, 9:00 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,051
The US Transportation Security Administration, in the midst of a rapid rollout of Advanced Imaging Technology body-scanning machines at checkpoints, needs to be more cognizant of airports' concerns, Airports Council International-North America President Greg Principato told Congress.
The Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee's aviation subcommittee held a hearing Dec. 2 in response to what TSA Administrator John Pistole called a "media frenzy" in the US last month over the deployment of AIT machines and the use of enhanced pat-downs at checkpoints. TSA has revamped aviation security over the 11-plus months since the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound A330 last Dec. 25 and airports fear there has not been enough careful thinking about the consequences of the changes.
"Although TSA coordinated closely with the airlines in the immediate aftermath of the attempted [12/25] bombing, it did not coordinate as effectively with airports," Principato testified, noting that mandates to body scan or pat down every US-bound passenger in the weeks after the failed bombing gave Toronto Pearson "no choice but to work with airlines to cancel 25% of their flights to the United States [in the weeks immediately following 12/25]…Although Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano had several meetings with airline representatives and their associations after the Christmas Day bombing attempt, there was little coordination or information sharing between DHS and the airport industry."
The Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee's aviation subcommittee held a hearing Dec. 2 in response to what TSA Administrator John Pistole called a "media frenzy" in the US last month over the deployment of AIT machines and the use of enhanced pat-downs at checkpoints. TSA has revamped aviation security over the 11-plus months since the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound A330 last Dec. 25 and airports fear there has not been enough careful thinking about the consequences of the changes.
"Although TSA coordinated closely with the airlines in the immediate aftermath of the attempted [12/25] bombing, it did not coordinate as effectively with airports," Principato testified, noting that mandates to body scan or pat down every US-bound passenger in the weeks after the failed bombing gave Toronto Pearson "no choice but to work with airlines to cancel 25% of their flights to the United States [in the weeks immediately following 12/25]…Although Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano had several meetings with airline representatives and their associations after the Christmas Day bombing attempt, there was little coordination or information sharing between DHS and the airport industry."
Last edited by essxjay; Dec 18, 2010 at 10:29 pm Reason: Trimmed for copyright respects
Dec 18, 2010, 9:05 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: United
Posts: 2,710