Sacramento International Airport is kicking the TSA agents out and replacing them with private contractors. Good riddance!
Airport officials made the request in April after Congress expanded an opt-out clause in the federal law that created the TSA.
Airport Director Hardy Acree said he believes private screeners can do a more efficient job than government employees while providing the same level of security.
Ron Nixon of the New York Times reported that last year the federal government denied the same request from Larry Dale, president and chief executive of Orlando Sanford International Airport. This new expansion of the law will allow him to follow Sacramento’s lead which he undoubtedly will.
According to federal law, private contract screeners are trained by the TSA, they follow TSA procedures, use TSA equipment, and display TSA badges. There are even TSA supervisors that oversee operations. The private company is paid by the TSA.”
Even though the TSA is still heavily involved (unfortunately), the TSA employee union, American Federation of Government Employees, is going to fight it. The move would reduce costs and increase efficiency, but union president James Mudrock doesn’t care.
Currently, only San Francisco, Kansas City and 14 smaller airports use private security employees. Sacramento International Airport would be the third largest airport to move to private security.
One traveler who regularly uses SFO said “It’s been awesome in San Francisco. They get travelers through faster, they do a better job finding test devices, and the moral is better than the TSA. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for these government money wasters.
Read the story at the NY Times and fromthecapitol.com
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