Why Are More Guns Showing Up At Airports?
Article Originally Published in the State Aviation Journal May, 2019 Why have gun seizures at US airports gone up by 357% over the past ten years? In 2008, TSA 926 seized guns at screening checkpoints. Last year they seized 4,239 and the rate continues to increase. If...
Remain Overnight: Whether You Want To Or Not
The Toronto airport again has played a role in aviation security. It was 134years ago, June 23, 1985, when the deadliest airline bombing in history took down Air India Flight 182. The flight had departed from Vancouver, made a stopover in Canada en route to London,...
What Should TSA Funding Include in 2020?
The U.S. Administration’s budget request for TSA Fiscal Year 2020 continues to be debated. At first glance, I do not like that agencies like the US Coast Guard and cybersecurity defense are getting less funding and focus. I believe cyber is the largest vulnerability...
Paranoia, will it destroy ya – or will it save ya? Columbine, 20 years later
Would you rather live life blissfully unaware of the hazards around you, but exceedingly happy and fulfilled, unafraid and experiencing all that life has to offer, only to be killed suddenly in some sort of violent attack, or would you rather live your entire natural...
The Armed Privatization of Airport Security
You may start seeing a lot more armed personnel at your local airport. Is that a good thing? Recently, airports have started to issue requests for armed security officers. The U.S. airport industry has a long-standing tradition of only using certified law enforcement...
What will we do without the TSA?
As the shutdown continues with no end in sight, some people are speculating that TSA screeners may go on strike. Or, that more TSA workers will continue to walk off the job, have “blue flu,” or find an employer that can make a payroll, resulting in massive air system...
Security Checkpoints Are Choke Points
Today, the aviation industry screens passengers and their carry-on bags essentially the same way it did in the early 1970s. While detection technologies have changed to better detect threats and move people through the checkpoint, training and performance standards...
Aircraft Theft brings TSA’s Timing on Employee Vetting into Question
The Aviation Security Act of 2016 requires TSA to improve the eligibility requirements and increase the disqualifying criminal offenses for personnel working at an airport, who have unescorted access to certain airport security areas. Unfortunately, this doesn’t...What Awaits Us With New Airline Technologies?
Airline passengers, airport managers and neighboring airport communities might expect to encounter new and advanced technology in the near future. In the safety and security area, passengers should expect to see biometrics being implemented into the checkpoint, and...
