TSA: Beefed up airport security could roil summer travel lines - POLITICO
"...TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger told reporters Friday that the agency has significantly stepped up its visible presence after the Brussels blasts, just one effort to deter would-be copy cats from targeting U.S. airports and train stations.
...It will also mean more random bag checks, particularly for bigger luggage, and additional inspections of cars and taxis coming into the airport.
Combine the random checks with what’s expected to be longer security lines, and passengers could be staring down a frustrating summer travel experience.
“This is one of the busiest or highest volume travel years we’ve ever seen,” Neffenger said, adding that travel has increased about 8 percent on average over last year.
“I care about lines, it’s not that I don’t … [but] we have to do our jobs.
...Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) took Neffenger to task, criticizing TSA for not doing enough to screen airport workers.
Nelson said the Atlanta airport worker gun smuggling ring uncovered in December 2014 and more recently, bombs snuck onto commercial planes overseas, make it imperative that TSA push airports to tighten up access and screening for their employees.
“Atlanta, Miami and Orlando,” have thorough worker vetting in place, Nelson said.
“What about the rest of the 297 airports nationwide?”...
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