Shutdown Disruptions Renew Debate Over Airport Security
As another federal shutdown impacts critical travel services, a number of lawmakers, experts, and groups are increasingly calling for a re-examination of the way in which airport security screening is carried out in the US. The federal funding shutdown of the US Department of Homeland Security is causing another shutdown of critical services at US airports, putting a spotlight on the department tasked with ensuring the security of air passengers in the US—the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA staff are designated as “essential personnel” in federal funding shutdowns and are therefore required to report to work. However, they are not always compensated for their services until a federal funding shutdown is resolved. This has resulted in a number of staff calling in sick in previous funding shutdowns, causing longer lines at airport security screening gates.
Due to the high number of air passengers using US airports every week, there are a number of lawmakers who believe that a number of services provided by TSA could be privatized to improve the reliability of US airport security screening services in federal funding shutdowns.
How TSA Screening Currently Works
The TSA was formed in response to the September 11 attacks with the aim of federalizing airport security and standardizing screening procedures. Previously, private companies were hired by airlines to conduct passenger screening.
Currently, the TSA employs tens of thousands of officers who are mandated with screening passengers, luggage, and cargo at numerous airports in the country. They operate under the Department of Homeland Security and aim at ensuring aviation security and facilitating smooth passenger flow.
Although the majority of airports in the country use federal TSA officers for screening, there is already a framework for carrying out privatized screening through a program referred to as the Screening Partnership Program (SPP). Through this program, airports can apply for permission to use private security companies for screening under TSA supervision.
Privatization of screening is likely to reduce disruptions in government shutdowns.
Shutdowns Highlight Operational Strain
Government shutdowns also reveal the weakness in government-managed services. In such cases, all the administrative staff working for different government agencies are put on leave, and government employees are not paid on time.
TSA employees are still required to perform their duties to ensure the smooth operation of airport services; however, the financial stress may cause problems for airport security services. In previous cases, some employees had taken sick leaves or had taken temporary jobs, which put pressure on already crowded airport security check areas.
Airports facing such problems may experience longer security queues, flight delays, and high passenger discontent. These problems may increase with the rise in the number of passengers.
For those who are critical about the current airport security system, these problems caused by government shutdowns are reasons to look for alternative airport security services.
The Case for Privatized Screening
Privatization proponents claim that there is a possibility of flexibility with private contractors. Federal employees would not be impacted by federal budget standoffs, and thus screening operations would not be affected during government shutdowns.
Some also argue that there is an opportunity to introduce innovations with private contractors. There are already some airports that have joined the Screening Partnership Program. Some of these airports include San Francisco Airport and Kansas City Airport. At these airports, private security firms provide passenger screening services while still complying with TSA regulations and operating under federal supervision.
According to aviation analysts, expanding this program would provide airports with more control over airport security while still allowing for federal regulations to be enforced.
Courtesy Of James Duff ( Flickr CC0)Critics Warn of Security and Oversight Concerns
However, there are still many lawmakers and security experts who doubt the efficacy of airport screening privatization. They argue that a federal workforce is more reliable when it comes to training and accountability.
Another argument raised by those who are against airport screening privatization is that before the formation of TSA, airport screening was carried out by private security firms contracted by various airlines. Investigations carried out after the September 11 attacks found that there were huge discrepancies in security procedures at various airports. It was also found that security firms were not well paid or well trained.
Those who support the current system argue that it is essential to ensure that all security officers at all airports maintain high standards of security.
The labor unions of TSA officers have also been against airport screening privatization. They argue that it may lead to a reduction of job security and an increase in turnover of security officers.
Existing Programs
The existing Screening Partnership Program provides some information on how privatized screening might be effective on a much larger scale. For instance, the airports participating in the program remain under strict TSA regulations, and the agency still sets the standards for the screening process.
The private screening companies must meet the same performance standards as the federal TSA officers, and the TSA has control over hiring and operational approval.
According to some studies, the wait times for passengers at the SPP airports are comparable to or even shorter than those at the airports with federal screeners. However, experts point out that the results vary depending on the size of the airport and the management of the private contractor.
It still remains difficult to conclude the effectiveness of the privatization process on a much larger scale, considering the fact that only a few airports are participating in the program.
Political Debate Likely to Continue
However, the question of whether this responsibility should remain a purely federal concern or transition into a hybrid model of public and private involvement has been a point of discussion in Washington for a long time.
On one side, there are those who believe that this is a question of efficiency and ability to provide this service even in a situation of federal shutdown. Nevertheless, there are those who believe that this is a matter of such critical importance that it should not be privatised and should remain firmly in federal hands.
As travel disruptions resulting from shutdowns continue to happen, it is believed that this question is likely to gain even more attention, especially as there are those in both parties who are interested in exploring possible reforms in this area.
What It Means for Travelers
For most travelers, the debate over privatizing airport security seems to be rather removed from their immediate experiences at the airport. Nevertheless, it is possible that it will eventually have implications for the screening process at airports throughout the country.
Depending on the decisions made by policymakers, it is possible that more airports will have the opportunity to participate in the Screening Partnership Program. On the other hand, it is also possible that more funding will be made available to strengthen the current federal system and deal with the issues resulting from the current shutdown.
Travelers are still being impacted by the current government funding issues, and this is especially true during peak travel times.
As policymakers look to find solutions to this issue, it is still unclear what the future of airport security will look like, whether it will be run through the federal government, private companies, or a combination of both.
By William Hernandez
Journalist for Vlixx Magazine, reporting on news from around the world, ensuring timely, accurate, and detailed information to keep the public informed and educated.
Sources:
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Featured Image Courtesy of Ensie & Matthias Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of James Duff Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
