FAA will regulate airport screeners in November

Airport workers who screen baggage for weapons will be required to have a high school diploma and undergo government-approved training under a Federal Aviation Administration rule due to take effect in November. The rule, which was approved in July, will enable the FAA to exercise direct regulation of private companies that provide security screening at airports for the first time in the agency's history, according to FAA spokesman Les Dore. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta mentioned the rule while announcing new security measures at U.S. airports Wednesday afternoon. "It will allow the department to have increased powers not only in terms of requirements but the monitoring of the screening people at airports," he said. The rule is the culmination of a five-year process in which the FAA worked with airlines and various federal committees to craft new training requirements for workers who perform security screenings at the nation's airports. Under the new rule, the FAA must approve training offered by private firms that provide security services. Airlines will not be allowed to contract to private security firms that fail to meet minimum FAA standards, according to Dore. The rule also allows the FAA to make inspections at any airport and off-airport site where passengers check in. Airlines such as American Airlines and ATA protested this portion of the rule, arguing it could subject them to "unreasonable and frequent intrusions by FAA personnel," the final rule says. While most air traffic remained grounded throughout Wednesday, the FAA allowed flights diverted Tuesday to proceed to their destinations under tightened security guidelines. The FAA banned curbside and off-airport check-in for these flights and allowed only ticketed passengers past x-ray screeners.