US FAA ups airport security measures and training following reports of regular failures

Airline Industry Information, Dec 3, 1999

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-1999 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stepped up security measures and training at the nation`s airports after a report revealed that the agency`s investigators had regularly been able to breach security measures during airport testing processes.

Department of Transportation investigators revealed in the FAA report that from December 1998 through April 1999 airport security had been breached 117 times out of 173 attempts - or a rate of 75%.

The report stated that investigators had been able to follow airport or airline employees through usually locked doors, rode unguarded elevators, walked through concourse doors, gates and jetways unchallenged, walked through cargo facilities as well as driving through unmanned vehicle gates. In many cases the investigators had also been able to board aircraft operated by US and foreign airlines and take a seat before concluding their test.

Such instances occurred 100 times and in only 18 instances were the investigators challenged within three minutes, even when they had boarded, exited and then reboarded.

The FAA is working with 79 unidentified airports to help improve security measures.