Posted on Sat, Nov. 27, 2004

Private screeners to remain at KCI
Federal officials happy with system
By MIKE RICE The Kansas City Star

A private company will continue to hire security screeners at Kansas City International Airport.

The federal Transportation Security Administration, which oversees all airport security operations, recently extended the contract of FirstLine for another year. The contract was scheduled to expire last week.“We are very happy with the current security screening program at KCI,” said Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Amy von Walter.

FirstLine, formerly known as International Total Services, was awarded the contract in 2002. The contract was one of only five the federal government awarded for private airport security screening.

Airports now have the option of choosing private companies for screening rather than the federal government. Several dozen airports could make such a switch, according to officials.

At KCI, travelers will see no changes. Although the KCI screeners work for a private firm, they are under federal supervision and have received the same training required for the government-employed screeners.

“These men and women are to be commended and praised for the job they have done,” said Richard Curasi, the federal security director at KCI. “If not for their high-performance rating and high-quality services, we would not have extended this company's contract.”

The other airports that were allowed in 2002 to have privately employed screeners were San Francisco International Airport, Greater Rochester (N.Y.) International Airport, Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Airport and Tupelo (Miss.) Regional Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration started the private screening program to compare its effectiveness with federal screening. Under provisions of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act that President Bush signed on Nov. 19, 2001, other airports —– as of last Friday — have the option of participating in the administration's private screening program.

The federal government took control of all airport security operations after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Previously, airlines used screeners from private firms.

Steve van Beek, executive vice president of the Airports Council International-North America, which represents airport officials, said about 20 airports were interested in using privately employed screeners.

U.S. Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican who is chairman of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, had said that number was closer to 100.

The debate over the best screening method has been argued on Capitol Hill.

In April, Inspector General Clark Kent Ervin told the aviation subcommittee more evidence was needed to determine whether private screeners performed as well as federal screeners.

“Available data from limited covert testing suggest they performed about the same, which to say, equally poorly,” Ervin said at that April hearing.

At the same time, a consultant hired by the Transportation Security Administration concluded there was no evidence that the five airports with privately employed screeners were performing below the average level of all of the other airports.

But it said the screeners at KCI were more effective than the federal screeners at similar-size airports.

First glance
• The contract for private screeners at Kansas City International Airport has been extended for one year.
• Airports now have the option of choosing private companies for screening. Several dozen airports could switch to this system.  - Top of Page

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