A Review of Access Control Measures at Our Nation's Airports

There have been a series of security breaches in which loaded weapons were brought onto commercial airplanes unbeknownst to TSA and airport officials, calling in question airport access control measures and employee vetting procedures. These alarming incidents could have had devastating consequences if those involved had intended to carry out attacks. TSA spends billions of dollars every year to ensure every passenger is screened before boarding a commercial flight. However, we must ask ourselves: What good is all the screening at the front door if we are not paying attention enough at the back door? On December 23, 2014, Federal agents arrested Eugene Harvey, a Delta baggage handler at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and charged him with trafficking in firearms and violating security agreements-requirements. On January 13, 2015, Port Authority police in New York City arrested a Federal Aviation Administration official at LaGuardia Airport after he flew with a loaded firearm on a Delta flight from Atlanta to LaGuardia. On January 24, 2015, the FBI arrested another Delta employee at Atlanta airport for boarding a flight to Paris without first being screened. These problems are not unique to just one airport. Every case presents unique challenges and opportunities for TSA, the airports, the airlines, and other partners to strengthen their security protocols.