Increasing Lines at TSA Checkpoints Create Security Risks for Airports

Increasing Lines at TSA Checkpoints Create Security Risks for Airports

TSA screener shortage exposes travelers to security risks

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • May 23, 2019

Over the weekend passengers at Seattle-Tacoma Airport in Seattle, Wash. were stuck in a security line that extended all the way into the parking garage. Passengers waited nearly two hours to move through the line before being screened by Transportation Security Administration agents at the checkpoint. 

In a House Homeland Security Committee Hearing on Tuesday in Washington D.C., Sec-Tac Airport Manager  Lance Lyttee told Congress that the shortage of TSA agents and screeners at the nation's eighth largest airport is contributing to these long lines and putting the airport and its travelers at risk of becoming "soft targets" in a mass shooter or terrorist attack.

"Lines that stretch through the terminal, past the ticket counters, over the sky bridges and into the packing garages compromise our ability to ensure public safety," Lyttle said. "Yet we see this scenario all too often, even before our summer travel season has begun, including just this last weekend. The ability of the TSA to hurt and retain staff is a major contributor to this challenge."

Lyttle referenced a Bloomberg Law study which found that between 2012 and 2016, the TSA at Sea-Tac Airport hired 858 new screening officers, but lost 772 of them - a 90 percent attrition rate.

Adding insult to injury, Lyttle told Congress that approximately 80 TSA security officers in the Puget Sound region have left for positions that offer higher pay since April 1. 

Lyttle testified that Sea-Tac's top priority is to ensure the swift and reliable processing at screening checkpoints, but staffing shortages have compromised the airport's ability to provide that. Sea-Tac's aging facilities are a factor, but TSA's own inability to retain agents is the "major contributing factor," stating that he had never seen all the screening lanes at the airport open because they had never had the staff to do so.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events

  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.