Fate of federal airport screeners hangs in balance

The future of Transportation Security Administration screeners hangs in balance in the wake of the November implementation of a program allowing airports to begin using private security inspectors.

Beginning Nov. 19, the 429 commercial airports in the United States, including its possessions, will have the option of using private screeners instead of the federal workforce that is hired and managed by TSA.

The “opt-out program” was part of a requirement set by the U.S. Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that TSA handle passenger and baggage screening for at least three years.

But acting TSA-Saipan director Viola Sablan said her office has yet to receive more guidance from its Washington, D.C. headquarters about the program.

“I’m sure the screeners will be taken cared of. But as to the procedures in general, we don’t have details yet. We don’t know how the actual scenario is going to be,” she said in an interview.

Sablan added that the Commonwealth Ports Authority would have to submit an application to TSA if it decides to avail of the “opt-out” option—to have private companies provide screeners at the Saipan International airport.

The Saipan airport is the only airport in the CNMI right now where passenger screening is handled by TSA.

There are 52 federal screeners currently working at the Saipan airport.

But even if CPA gets approval to participate in the opt-out program, TSA management will remain on island to oversee the operation of the private company to be hired by the ports authority, Sablan said.

For his part, CPA executive director Carlos H. Salas said he still has to look further into the program’s details.

In a June 23 press statement, U.S. Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson said TSA is envisioning a program in which operations at non-federalized airports will be comparable with the federal operations that are being replaced.

“Professionalism and security will remain our top priority and if airports choose to enter the Screening Partnership Program, the new private sector screeners would have to perform to the high level of standards put in place by TSA following the federalization of screeners after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,” Hutchinson said.

TSA was established with the U.S. Department of Transportation on Nov. 19, 2001 pursuant to the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, in the wake of the 9/11 bombings in the United States.

It was later realigned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.