Private airport security firms could get back in screening business
While most airline passengers now encounter Transportation Security Administration employees at airport security checkpoints across the country, private companies are handling screening at five airports and the number could expand next year.
Most of the companies involved in a pilot program that allowed the federal government to contract with private security companies said they hope to renew their one-year contracts in November, and some are interested in expanding their horizons in 2004 when other airports can opt out of the federal screening program. "We've put everything we have to show we can do this," said Robert Coe, president and chief executive officer of Covenant Aviation Security, which is providing screening at San Francisco International and Tupelo, Miss., airports. The company has drawn on its experience of handling security at Energy Department facilities, which provides "the best model of strong government oversight and guidance," Coe added. Federal oversight of private companies is essential if airports choose to forgo federal screeners, Coe told CongressDaily, adding that his company would be interested in work at other airports.
Indeed, the private companies involved in the pilot program work under TSA supervision and hire personnel using the same guidelines TSA uses for its own screeners. TSA also trains the company's screeners. In addition to Covenant, the private companies involved in the pilot program include: International Total Services Inc. of Cleveland at the Kansas City Airport; McNeil Technologies of Springfield, Va., at the Greater Rochester (N.Y.) Airport; and the Jackson Hole Airport Board at the Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Airport. The opportunity for some private-screening companies to continue to work at airports comes as a result of the aviation security bill passed shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The bill included provisions creating the pilot program and allowing other airports to opt out of the federal screening program next year.
While the pilot program has gone well for ITS-which will become FirstLine Transportation Security after next Friday-there have been "some bumps along the way" in getting the new program in place on a tight timeline "with no road map," said John DeMell, the company's president. But the partnership continues to work through the issues and the company is interested in future work at other airports, DeMell added.
The Jackson Hole Airport Board, which has handled screening at the Wyoming airport for about 20 years, is interested in renewing its contract, said Jeanne Kirkpatrick, assistant airport director. Calls to the remaining company in the pilot program-McNeil Technologies-were not returned. For its part, the TSA is "confident that the private companies are providing the appropriate level of security," said TSA spokesman Brian Turmail. In addition to the department's aggressive undercover inspectors who regularly try to crack the system, TSA is doing a comprehensive review of the program, he said.
House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., fought to include the pilot program for private security companies at selected airports in aviation security legislation because he believes that federalizing the workforce is the most costly approach, his spokesman said.
What is needed is federal oversight and uniform standards, Mica's spokesman added. "The key difference is that before Sept. 11, airlines were in charge of security-and they had a vested interest in cutting corners," the spokesman said. Screeners were under-trained, under-paid and overworked, and standards varied depending on the airport, he added. Mica has asked the Homeland Security Department's inspector general to do an independent assessment of the Transportation Security Administration's federal screening process. And he has also requested that GAO review the airport baggage screening before and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
But not everyone thinks returning to private sector screening is a good idea. The American Federation of Government Employees has "grave concerns" about the idea, said union spokeswoman Diane Witiak. If screening is contracted out, Witiak said it resurrects some of the same problems that existed before federal screeners were installed at the nation's airports.
"Airport security should be handled by the federal government, not for profit at the expense of the flying public," she said. Peter Winch, AFGE's union organizer, agrees. Turning over the job to the private sector would result in "a patchwork quilt" of different companies-some of which have high turnover and other problems.