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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Frank Boksanske, AMFA National Safety and Standards Director AMFA VOICES CONCERN OVER AIR CARRIER SECURITY Laconia, NH – Recent security concerns of a major air carrier in which an individual was successful in placing box cutters, bleach and modeling clay in two commercial aircraft raises concern over the successful implementation of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines required of the industry. Many air carriers in the United States may be having difficulty complying with TSA guidelines, specifically in the area of “security sweeps,” which are required on all aircraft that are on the ground for a certain period of time each day. A security sweep is an inspection of the aircraft to detect a security breech. These security inspections are currently required to be accomplished on aircraft each day by airline employees in addition to their normal job responsibilities. There exists a severe manpower shortage in the airline industry since the events of 9/11 because of cost cutting by the air carriers. This, coupled with TSA guidelines that place auditing procedures in the hands of the air carriers, promotes the practice of risk management. In many instances the probability exists that the security sweeps are not being accomplished by the major air carriers because of time constraints to make an on-time departure, therefore the auditing procedure merely becomes a paperwork function. Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) National Safety and Standards Director Frank Boksanske stated that because the current system of TSA oversight of US air carriers leave the security sweep audit requirement up to the air carriers, more security breaches are likely in the future. The current workforce of TSA screeners, if utilized to perform the aircraft security inspection may be a viable option to correct this potential for a real terrorist threat. ### |