MartinBishop

The Chicago Tribune reports on "a growing backlash over extremely long airport security lines," which the Transportation Security Administration is blaming on a loss of 4,622 screeners. "In the past three years, the TSA and Congress cut the number of front-line screeners by 4,622 -- or about 10% -- on expectations that an expedited screening program called PreCheck would speed up the lines. However, not enough people enrolled for TSA to realize the anticipated efficiencies."

Passengers in security lines waited one hour and 45 minutes at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, with other airports reporting wait times of 90 minutes, and crowded lines "snaking up and down escalators, or through food courts, and into terminal lobbies." Some flights have even delayed their take-offs just to wait for more of their passengers to clear security. (One Dallas-Fort Worth flight waited 13 minutes, resulting in 23 more passengers who made it onboard -- while another 29 passengers still had to be rescheduled for later flights.) "We encourage people to have the appropriate expectations when they arrive at airports,â said Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Friday, saying the screenings were necessary to ensure passenger safety. "Contemplate increased wait times as you travel."

Johnson also said the TSA would increase the use of overtime, hire 768 new officers as soon as mid-June, and use more threat-sniffing dogs. Meanwhile, a TSA computer glitch caused 3,000 pieces of luggage to miss their flight in Phoenix, prompting city officials to investigate replacing the TSA with a private security contractor.


https://yro.slashdot.org/story/16/05...missed-flights

The Revenge

Government run amuck. As usual.

theycallmered

I'm gonna pull a Captain Obvious and say that the TSA is ineffective, inefficient, and create a huge public risk by herding people in close quarters outside the secure areas of airports. They get basically unlimited money to be bad at their jobs, yet they are so good at making me take off my shoes while going through Pre Check at 4:30 am on a Tuesday morning in DSM (where they have KCM but it is always closed). Prime example of government incompetency.

Packrat

Actually its a prime example of a knee jerk reaction creating an entire government bureaucracy where none existed before.

bedrock

TSA was created as a welfare to "work" scheme.

matt1

The huge lines outside the secure areas are a target of opportunity for someone with an evil intent. TSA is so focused on what happens in flight that they've overlooked the security of the system as a whole. All it takes is one incident...

maddogmax

TSA= Thousands Standing Around

chrisreedrules

This. TSA is the illusion of safety. Nothing more.

Packrat

Exactly. I call it "Security Theater." Its only there to make the average Joe think the government is doing something to keep him safe.

RhinoPherret

The only two PROVEN (multiple times now) items that have now enhanced air safety and prevented further aircraft takeovers are; secured and locked flight deck doors, and the PAX load that have shown they will now take action instead of sitting on their butts daydreaming of not being harmed while the plane is taken over by a nut-job or terrorists.

You and the PAX on-board are your only proven line of defense once the doors are sealed. As basic as it gets.