American Airlines takes action to speed up passenger screening
Friday, 23 May, 2016
0
American Airlines said it will spend $4 million on a private contractor to help speed up waiting lines at TSA screening checkpoints.
AA chief operating officer Robert Isom said it won’t completely end the long delays, but is a good start, and again called for more staffing of Transportation Security Administration agents at the country’s airports.
The private contractors hired by American will perform supplementary tasks such as managing lines more effectively and collecting bins so that TSA officers can concentrate on their core tasks of screening passengers.
Tens of thousands of American Airlines’ passengers have missed flights due to the long waits, Isom said in a letter to employees.
"The money will fund contract staff to relieve TSA officers from non-screening functions, like bin running and queue management, so that TSA officers can focus solely on the screening and security aspects of their jobs," he wrote in the letter.
According to Isom, the long lines ‘evoke frustration from all of us, as well as our customers who continue to miss flights due to lines that are literally out the door."
He added: "Long lines also aren’t fair to our team members, who ultimately take the brunt of our customers’ frustrations."
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson acknowledged the frustrations of both airlines and customers, but said there will be no compromise on security standards.
He asked passengers to remain patient while the department works to cut delays as it brings online more TSA agents.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season