Can Airports Drop The TSA?

Above, my flight to Japan last year. My luggage arrived a day later. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We've read in recent weeks (I've blogged about it as well) of the mounting problems at some of the nation's airports caused by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Some airports are considering dropping the TSA in favor of private security screeners. Is it legal to do so? Yes, and it already has been done.

TravelPulse reported:

If they hadn’t seen enough already, officials at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor had a good look at chaos last week. 

In addition to long security lines at screening checkpoints, a “significant, unprecedented” technical issue with a computer server led to more than 3,000 checked bags left sitting on the tarmac – while passengers boarded flights and jetted off to their destinations, their luggage a day behind. 

That was enough, indeed, for Deborah Ostreicher, the city's assistant aviation director, to suggest dropping the Transportation Security Administration’s oversight of security at Sky Harbor in favor of a private firm.

This had happened to me. Last year, my luggage arrived a day late to Japan, thanks to the TSA. Singapore Airlines, with whom I flew with, paid me ¥12,500 in cash as some compensation and for me to buy some necessities while I waited for my luggage. They didn't have to do that as the incident wasn't their fault.

To read more, go here.