TSA Deploys Passenger Screeners to 23 Airports On Track to Meet Nov. 19 Deadline

TSA 92-02
Wednesday September 4 2002
To Apply to be Screener: 1-877-631-JOBS (5627)
Customer Service Center: 1-888-328-6172
TSA Press Contact: David Steigman or Heather Rosenker
Telephone: (202) 385-1800

Acting Under Secretary of Transportation for Security Adm. James M. Loy announced that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) deployed federal passenger screeners today to 23 airports.

"TSA remains on track to meet its Nov. 19 deadline for having federal screeners deployed in all 429 commercial airports " Adm. Loy said. "With today's action 82 airports have federal screeners."

Airports receiving federal passenger screeners today are:

• West Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) West Palm Beach FL (partial - checkpoint only)
• Panama City-Bay County International Airport (PFN) Panama City FL (partial - checkpoint only)
• Bush Field Airport (AGS) Augusta GA
• Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) Chicago IL (partial - checkpoint)
• Bloomington-Normal Airport (BMI) Bloomington IL (partial - checkpoint only)
• Greater Peoria Airport (PIA) Peoria IL
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) Hebron KY (partial - checkpoints)
• Blue Grass Airport (LEX) Lexington KY (partial - checkpoint only)
• Bangor International Airport (BGR) Bangor ME (partial - checkpoint only)
• Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) Traverse City MI (partial - checkpoint only)
• Craven County Regional Airport (EWN) New Bern NC
• Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT) Charlotte NC (partial - checkpoint only)
• Manchester Airport (MHT) Manchester NH
• Binghamton Regional Airport (BGM) Johnson City NY
• Albany International Airport (ALB) Albany NY
• Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) Myrtle Beach SC
• Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP) Greer SC (partial - checkpoint only)
• Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) Chattanooga TN
• Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS) Austin TX (partial - checkpoint only)
• William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) Houston TX
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) DFW Airport TX (Terminal E)
• Lynchburg Regional Airport (LYH) Lynchburg VA (partial - checkpoint only)
• Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) Beauer WV

The first federal passenger screeners were deployed April 30 to Baltimore/Washington International Airport which served as the prototype for other rollouts that began June 28. Since then more than 23 600 screeners have been hired.

Last week TSA moved to make air travel more convenient. Airline employees no longer must ask passengers if they have been in control of their baggage or whether they have been asked to carry anything on the flight. "These questions no longer contribute to the safety and security of the flying public "  Adm. Loy said in announcing the policy change Aug. 29.

Also on Aug. 22 he announced that passengers will be allowed to carry paper or foam polystyrene cups through metal detectors at security screening checkpoints. Other types of containers which must be sealed or spill-proof still have to go through X-ray machines.

The 23 600 screeners hired by TSA have come from a pool of more than 1.1 million applicants. Over 30 000 passenger screeners will be deployed by the Nov. 19 2002 deadline for TSA to assume responsibility for passenger screening at the nation's commercial airports. Congress also mandated TSA to screen all checked luggage for explosives by Dec. 31 2002. To do that TSA is hiring more than 22 000 baggage screeners.