Security Badge Abuse at DFW Airport

Security Badge Abuse at DFW Airport

With airport security being such a serious issue, what good is a security badge allowing access to restricted areas if employees abuse their privileges by allowing family members and friends to access secure areas or to even skip checkpoints to board flights? Seems to me that is a major security breach that could lead to dangerous situations for all people in an airport environment.

NBC 5 dove into this issue by producing a segment (scroll down to see video) about the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by exposing government officials and top airline executives caught in the act of abusing their Secure Identification Display Area (SIDA) badges. The rules of these badges are simple:

  • Badges can only be used by on-duty employees; and
  • Badge owners are not allowed to take anyone else through employee-only areas.

And, airport employees even sign a piece of paper indicating that they have read and understand the badge rules.

So, what happened?

Badge Seizure #1

An off-duty Continental Airlines worker, obviously anxious to get back home to Ohio, used his badge to allow his whole family, including himself, his wife and their two children, to board a van at a cargo facility and be driven across the airport ramp to terminal E. They would have made it too if a police officer hadn’t heard children laughing on the airport ramp. DFW police seized his security badge.

Badge Seizure #2

Fred Cleveland, a senior vice president and chief operating officer at American Eagle Airlines, was caught escorting his wife through the employee portal so they could welcome their daughter who was flying in. Receiving what I call a “slap-on-the-wrist,” Cleveland had to complete a badge re-training program before taking re-possession of his seized badge.

Badge Seizure #3

An off-duty American Airlines pilot, apparently decided to take a trip, but when he arrived at the airport and noticed the long lines at the checkpoints, he chose to use his badge to avoid the wait. His badge was seized.

Badge Seizure #4

An American Airlines flight attendant was caught sneaking a backpack through an employee entrance, giving it to her husband boarding a flight to Germany. Sarcastic tone, “Hmmm, not suspicious at all! I’m surprised she got caught!” Her badge was seized.

Badge Seizure #5

A TSA supervisor was caught by DFW police taking another worker through an employee door, obviously a place the worker shouldn’t have been, because the supervisor’s badge was seized.

Badge Seizure #6

A Federal Aviation Administration manager was caught using his badge to board a flight for personal reasons. Officers seized his badge.

Badge Seizure #7

An analyst working for the DFW airport board, the agency that actually issues the security badges, was caught escorting her husband through an employee door to board a flight. Police seized her badge.

In all seven of the above situations, I can think of at least five terrible events that could have transpired, resulting in injuries and deaths of a huge number of people. With the 9/11 tragedy, the Boston bombings, the Newtown incident, among many others, though not all directly related to an airport scenario, you would think that government officials and top airline executives would realize just how important security protocols are to the safety and security of everyone.

Larry Wansley, airport security consultant, sums it up nicely, “Sometimes, unfortunately, humans do some really stupid things.”

Check out NBC 5's exclusive about security badge abuse at DFW airport:

View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.

(Source: http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations/Airline-Airport-Employees-Caught-Abusing-Security-Badges-205288061.html)

Featured

  • Making the Grade with Locks and Door Hardware

    Managing and maintaining locks and door hardware across a school district or university campus is a big responsibility. A building’s security needs to change over time as occupancy and use demands evolve, which can make it even more challenging. Knowing the basics of common door hardware, including locks, panic devices and door closers, can make a difference in daily operations and emergency situations. Read Now

  • Choosing the Right Solution

    Today, there is a strong shift from on-prem installations to cloud or hybrid-cloud deployments. As reported in the 2024 Genetec State of Physical Security report, 66% of end users said they will move to managing or storing more physical security in the cloud over the next two years. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Security Risks for U.S. Retail Chains

    Interface Systems, a provider of security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, has released its 2024 State of Remote Video Monitoring in Retail Chains report. The detailed study analyzed over 2 million monitoring requests across 4,156 retail locations in the United States from September 2023 to August 2024. Read Now

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises. 3

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure. 3

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles. 3