New York Airports Threaten to Remove TSA in Favor of Alternate Screeners
Skift Take
The best chance of solving the TSA staffing issue is the U.S. House approving additional funds to pay overtime for TSA workers. But the truth is that more airports should experiment with alternative security staffing, like the New York Port Authority has threatened to do.
Like passengers, airlines, and other airports, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is responsible for New York City's area airports, is tired of the security lines at its multiple terminals.
A letter from Port Authority aviation department director Thomas Bosco and chief security officer Thomas Belfore says the organization is considering staffing security checkpoints without the Transportation Security Administration.
"The Port Authority is exploring the merits of participating in the Screening Partnership Program to enhance flexibility in the assignments and operating hours of front line screening staff," reads the end of the letter addressed to TSA administrator Peter Neffenger.
The Screening Partnership Program allows airports to contract private screening companies to provide security instead of the government-run TSA. Following an application process, the TSA administrator decides if an airport is eligible to use private security teams.
The letter also into the detail of how TSA cuts to security staffing have affected flyers in New York area airports.
"Passenger wait times at
