Cancel TSA? Experts say: “A bad idea.”

“Security is a government job in nature, and if this idea is taken to the logical party, who needs secret service, or who needs the Ministry of Defense or Customs and the protection of government borders?” John Bestol, President of Anderson University in Indiana, who served as director of TSA under the leadership of President Barack Obama from 2010 to 2014, said, Flying.

The Republican Suggestion “Shamdon Champin, the Republican Suggestion” looks good for the average person, but it does not show a clear understanding of the role of TSA to protect the air system in our nation. “

I have A long time ago To cancel TSA and allow airlines to examine passengers, to some extent equality Pat Downs with sexual assault. The Senator imagines a return to pre -11/11 practices, as the airports rented private security contractors and supervised by the Federal Aviation Administration. Experts, though, believe that this is not exactly the days of the glory of aviation security.

The 2001 TSA Transport and Security Law was established in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Pistole said that the systems in force at the time “did not succeed” to prevent the tragedy.

“Just looking at the flight safety record after 9/11, there is clear before and after a perspective in terms of the deterrent of the punitive terrorists.”

Jeffrey Price, the owner of the security training company at the leading airport in the field of EDGE, and a former airport security assistant at Denver International Airport (KDEN), was sorted in the eighties. The price said Flying The airports look forward to paying contractors “at the lowest price and in the bottom of the recruitment group”, often provides the minimum wage and no benefits.

price Estimates It was at some airports, the average victory rotation was 100 percent north. Often, it was cheaper for them to pay the fine due to the failure of the FAA security test to employ Faras better who can bridge these gaps in the first place.

The return of tens of thousands of TSA agents – who examine more than two million passengers per day in the United States – to private contractors will not be simple. For one of them, the agency carried out in 2023 shareholders ‘rights, which was aligned with employees’ salaries with its colleagues throughout the government. Pistole wondered how the private sector can attract enough eligible fractures with less wages.

Then there is a issue of brain migration. As an official, Pistole said he received a daily briefing from the FBI and other intelligence agencies worldwide, and he publishes that information through the agency. If employees are eliminated, these risk -based assessments will also be lost.

“If you employ a new workforce, things will be missing at a rate higher than TSA employees, because they do not have the background, training or experience,” said Pestol.

Under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration, the private airport security caused the price agency: because it was on a hook for any promotions, airlines pressed FAA against stronger security measures. This is one of the reasons that were transferred to TSA from inside the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Internal Security in 2003.

“If we think about safety and security, they are two wings of the plane … until the plane flies – this is the same with the presence of safety responsibilities in the Federal Aviation Administration (TSA).” “To put all of these in one agency, her experience was only in one field, I think it will be a mistake.”

TSA already offers a level of privatization through the examination partnership program (SPP). It was created in 2004, and SPP allows airports to contract with specially accredited sellers who use a TSA test, training, performance standards and equipment.

“Even if it is privatized, the procedures are still determined by TSA,” said Jacobson. “This is performed by private companies. This is the difference.”

But among more than 400 airports qualified for the program, Less than 5 percent She participated, the largest San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) and KMCI International Airport.

“I think people are generally satisfied with TSA,” Pistole said. “If it is not broken, why are you trying to fix it?”

Li and Toprville, quoting a 2019 Kato Institute The study said that SPP airports often outperform their TSA counterparts. Pistole said that during his time as an official, SPP was “very comparable” of TSA effectiveness and customer satisfaction. Price, though, said that there is not enough evidence to roam the privatization of the entire industry.

“This is one of those areas in which we need to walk carefully while we are still cut off fraud, waste and abuse,” Brais said.

Li and Toprville were martyred in many studies to conduct their arguments. But the price is called “out of history” and their data “full manufacture.”

For example, Senate members are martyred 2015 Report This is what the secret TSA officials said found that the two differences missed 95 percent of the fake explosives and prohibited weapons at the checkpoints. Both the price and the disputed pistol in the number. The agents were confiscated The number of firearms In three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023.

“I would like to receive secret surroundings about the sophisticated test,” said Bestol. “There was no 95 percent failure rate during his presence there.”

The former official submitted his own proposal: Instead of getting rid of TSA, invest in techniques that can improve the examination, such as scanners of X -ray (CT) and accreditation authentication technology (CAT), which uses automatic scanners without connection to authentication of photo identifiers.

American Travel Association in February a report I expected that TSA would not be able to spread fully cut bags and cats until 2042 and 2049, respectively. In contrast, the UK has a deadline for all airports to be 100 percent with CT scanners.

“Especially with the emergence of artificial intelligence and other capabilities, there are only great opportunities to improve, because it is clear that humans make mistakes,” said Bestol. “Technology rarely makes mistakes.”

Pistole faced a problem with the description of the Senate members of the “gas” and Pat download bags, which some have Compete Driven by racism or sexual discrimination. He described the practice as “rare” and “exciting” and said that he would be “clearly responsible” to get rid of it, referring to cases such as the underwear launcher in 2009.

Experts believe that the privatization of airport security can exacerbate these safety and privacy concerns. If the security threat is ignored, the airports may have to pay the bill.

“I can guarantee you if this happens, the airport will be prosecuted, just like the three airports that have been kidnapped [9/11] Price, who was an expert in the September 11 case, said that the flights that left the prosecution.

Price said that TSA has made “tremendous steps” in the past decade, and may not be more than the expansion of TSA Prechack. Pistole launched the program, which last year receipt 20 million members, in 2013.

Jacobson, who spent 25 years searching for a risk -based decisions, was a pivotal for that initiative. Before 11/11, he worked with the FAA Civil Aviation Security Office to perform the first analysis of the examination of the luggage that was examined-an introduction to Preck. Jacobson clashed with Congress, who wanted to spread explosive detection systems for all luggage.

“Our argument was no, this is a lost resource,” said Jacobson. “If you are using a very expensive device to check people who do not need to be examined, you will basically burn machines, and taxpayers will cost more money.”

That philosophy – what the pistol describes as “relieving risk through intelligence” – was upbringing for Prechek. Users join the program by providing basic information such as the travel record and fingerprints, allowing agents to pay them in advance. Then these passengers become qualified for rapid examination, which is faster and cheaper. Jacobson estimated that the program provides TSA about one million dollars per day in the United States

“It is a victory for everyone,” he said. “The cost of checking the background will pay for the savings in the airport check.”

in About $ 75 for five -year membershipBestol said, “One of the best deals offered by the United States government to taxpayers.” He called for the development of the program further by registering passengers automatically – as is the case when renewing their leadership license – and asked them to cancel the subscription. He also called for the expansion of Preck checkpoints with more users and a fewer employees need to be examined.

“Anything we can do to register people in Prechack is positive,” said Jacobson. “I called that if you are ready to go to examine the background, you should do TSA without any cost.”

For example, the agency spent more than 2 billion dollars On CT lights, with hundreds of airports in the country. In 2021, Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) become The first in the country to publish CAT by 100 percent of its checkpoints – after years, TSA A $ 128 million request set For 1500 CAT (CAT-2) systems of the second generation (CAT-2).

The agency also provided automatic examination corridors, scanners in advanced imaging technology (AIT), face recognition, cybersecurity measures, and the most stringent examination procedures in foreign airports in the past ten years only. Last year, that The test started Typical Self -Service Examination System at Harry Red International Airport (KLAS). In May, travelers will require flying with them A real knowledgeDesigned to add another layer of safety.

Privatization may reduce the cost provided to airport security. But the re -creation of public sector innovations may be a challenge for airports and airlines.

“The truth is that they can oversee the examination if they know what to do, what is the criterion to be set, and how to do the implementation effectively,” said Jacobson. “They cannot know this alone.”