Port of Seattle steps up security after airplane joyride
The Port of Seattle says there were no lapses at Seattle-Tacoma Airport when an airline worler stole and crashed a plane on Friday evening.
There were no security breaches based on current rules during the incident, port commissioner Christine Gregoire told reporters, which suggests current security protocols need beefing up for authorized airport employees.
In fact the airport had recently strengthened security, with physical screenings for all employees.
"We’re one of the only airports in the country to do that and we took that voluntary leap," Greogoire said.
"All security protocols were taken care of."
"We stayed in close contact throughout the weekend with our airline partners, our port leadership set up central command at Sea-Tac International Airport and made sure that we were trying to get to the bottom of all the facts that had occurred."
Those rules don’t seem to address how to prohibit a security cleared ground handling agent from accessing and operating an aircraft.
Richard Russell, 29, stole a Horizon Air turboprop jet and was able to take off before crashing the plane on Ketron Island while being pursued by military jets.
Russell worked for Horizon Air in the ground services team and authorities suspect Russell may have been suicidal.
Despite Gregoire’s assertion that it was a ‘one-in-a-million’ aberration, the airport has added temporary security measures in cargo areas and inside passenger terminals.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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