With Christmas soon approaching AAA regards this as the busiest air and ground travel season of the year. Recent findings reveal there are several internal faults and errors in TSA procedures that are putting air travelers and airport employees at risk. An insights and analytics survey by the Nielsen-owned research company, Harris Interactive, reports that millennials worry that airport security is becoming too lax. Airport security expert, Dr. Stacey Tyler’s recent findings prove that millennials’ suspicions over the years are unfortunately correct. Earlier this year a millennial, 28-year-old PHL airport employee, Aaron Jenkins, lost his life due to a prohibited item being allowed through a security checkpoint. As a former general manager at PHL, Dr. Stacey Tyler used the incident to fuel her advocacy for tighter internal and external airport security.
Dr. Tyler’s new book The Inside Man, reveals there are several internal faults and errors in TSA procedures that are putting air travelers and airport employees at risk. In a custom 10 course homeland security curriculum and online security training, this insider threat specialist offers solutions and advises travelers to be change agents for reform.
“My research was comprised in an area of airport security that is uncharted. The investigation was conducted on the predicament to what degree is miscommunication of TSA policies down to the frontline employees (TSA, airline, and airport employees) in preventing of weapons, contraband, and prohibited items passing through security checkpoints and/or security access points using their SIDA badges-Security Identification Display Area. Theoretical construct is on Weick’s (1979) Organizational Information Theory who focused on the exchange of information that takes place within organizations and how individuals within the organization take steps to understand the material (TSA policies).”
- Consistent Communication Through Improved Trainings
There is a lack of communication to the frontline employees. The failures such as drug smuggling, injuries and death by prohibited items, and plane jackings, etc. wouldn’t happen if airport and airline employees were properly trained and aware. I have developed a 10-course homeland security training and two online security courses. Right now, only the minimum training is given. My solution is to improve security training for new hires and current employees and make the knowledge consistent across the aviation system.
- Ownership and Accountability
When incidents occur behind the security checkpoint. It is spoken about. But at the end of the day people move on and it’s not fixed. Is it relevant? Yes. Is there any care about it? Absolutely not.
As a member of the traveling public you are paying for TSA and you are paying for that security. When you see or hear about that security failing, speak up and express concerns to your local politicians and be change agents.
- Come Together
There is discord among the three entities (TSA, legislation, and airport authority). If we can all come together to resolve this, there can be reform. It seems legislation has a handle on it from the passenger’s perspective, but it’s only just getting started on the inside.
