Air Travel

Question:

Under a deal worked out between the Maryland Lt Gov and the head of the FAA and Southwest Airlines, state police officers and other state workers can work [as screeners] at BWI’s security checkpoints.  The new class of state police recruits are expected to be trained and assigned to this duty initially. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62434-2001Oct27.html This was worked out by phone calls on Friday and Saturday by the MD Lt Gov to Herb Kelleher of Southwest (BWI’s largest user) and to the head of the FAA.  Southwest will pay the cost.   BWI’s security lines have been among the longest in the country, perhaps because Southwest didn’t cut flights and has regained much of its load factor. "Other states and airports can follow BWI’s lead if it will reduce the long lines and delays in air travel" the head of the FAA said.

Response:

>"Other states and airports can follow BWI’s lead if it will reduce the >long lines and delays in air travel" the head of the FAA said.

Good idea.  The airport authority should handle the security, as happens in Europe.  In this case BWI is a state-run airport, thus the state police needs to do security.  If there is a failure in security (i.e. the FAA gets a gun past the checkpoint) then the airport is closed down and all that traffic goes to (in this example) PHL, DCA or IAD. -Erik

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