Hartsfield to TSA: Do Better… Or Else.
Long lines due to too few TSA screeners prompted Hartsfield-Jackson Airport’s GM to demand the TSA do more at the world’s busiest airport. Or force ATL’s hand and hire a private security firm to do the TSA’s work.
[Southwell] wrote that the airport, “struggled with TSA staffing shortfalls in 2015, and the airport is dreading the outcome of summer 2016.”
With record-breaking passenger counts this year, TSA did beef up staffing by more than seven percent but in his letter, Southwell said, “This increase –while appreciated–was late and inadequate,” and “things appear to be only getting worse.”Southwell then put the TSA on notice, saying the agency has 60 days to get its act together or the airport will bring in its own qualified private contractors to man the checkpoints.
“Are you on board with this plan?” Diamant asked Sen. Johnny Isakson.
“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Isakson said.
Hell hath no fury like an elite traveler forced to queue in cantankerous lines like a commoner. As our city’s most vital piece of infrastructure we should be doing everything to keep Hartsfield as easy to use as possible, and with the increasing number of hubs internationally, the federal government should also make Hartsfield’s success a national priority.
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It’s time to dump TSA and return responsibility to individual airports with HHS oversight and Senator Isakson should introduce such a bill.
Bbbbut, you can’t professionalize unless you unionize…
Sometimes it is theatre of the absurd. I have never passed the random hand swabbing and no one can or will tell me what chemicals to avoid other than the glycerin in the airports’ own restroom soaps. Failure of the swab leads to the total immersion experience. I can only guess that political correctness has been a factor in my random selection to be swabbed 6 times in 10 trips through their queues. On the other hand I’ve enjoyed not being blown up.
Thanks W. TSA was another ‘conservative’ move by 43 to go along with creating DHS, Medicare Part D and appointing John Roberts to the court. And GOPers want to question Trump’s conservative credentials?
If TSA Global entry $100, and pre-check $85 is still on –
Better find a cheaper and more efficient way to get frequent flyers through the system. At least those with passports flying domestic or international.
Oh yeah, and the chair of the meeting should begin “our solutions will not involve additional TSA employees but fewer.”