"Security violations at South Carolina airport add up"

Monday, September 24, 2001

Security violations at S.C. airport add up


GREER (AP) Security violations at the Greenville-Spartanburg
International Airport topped 33 other airports of similar size during a
10-year period, a newspaper's computer-assisted analysis of Federal
Aviation Administration records shows.
GSP is among 51 FAA-designated "small hubs." 

Violations at the airport ranged from failure to detect weapons in
covert tests to hazardous material spills to security personnel not
following procedures, The Greenville News reported Sunday.

Gary Jackson, GSP's manager, said he hadn't seen the reports and
couldn't comment specifically.

"I wouldn't know how to compare our figures with somebody else's. I
guess you'll have to let the figures speak for themselves," he said.
"You'd like zero (violations), so you're never satisfied until you don't
have any lapses in security." 

The reports show 51 arrests and 62 firearm violations at GSP for the
period, but because of FAA policies there are virtually no details. Most
of the violations, 244, were weapons-related, while 25 involved
hazardous materials.

The FAA doesn't make clear whether the weapons incidents involved
passengers stopped at screening checkpoints, those who made it through
and were detected later, or federal inspectors searching out security
weaknesses. The FAA refused to provide explanatory data.

Most of the information about airport security violations is classified
because disclosure "would expose vulnerabilities," said Christopher
White, FAA's Office of Flight Standards spokesman in Atlanta.

GSP had 547,055 passenger boardings in 1999, the latest year for which
data is available. Myrtle Beach, with 558,491 boardings, had 73
violations. Charleston, with 649,577 boardings, had 313. Columbia
Metropolitan boarded 399,308 passengers and had 197 violations.

Two major airport hubs used extensively for connecting flights by South
Carolina travelers, Atlanta Hartsfield and Charlotte/Douglas, ranked
13th and 40th, respectively in security violations among all airports
nationwide. Hartsfield, the nation's busiest airport, had 2,829
violations, a fraction of the 10,822 racked up by Los Angeles
International. Charlotte had 1,457.

When criminal charges are filed against passengers, a majority of cases
end in a pre-trial intervention program, which allows defendants to
petition the court to have their record expunged once they successfully
complete an individually prescribed program that often includes
community service work, said Thomas Watson, GSP's police chief.

"We have had a couple of cases that went to federal court," he said
"Normally, what we find is an honest citizen who has made a mistake." 

The reports do not reflect a violation on Nov. 11, 1999, when former
Gov. Carroll Campbell was detained, but not charged, after screeners
detected a handgun in his luggage. Campbell said it ended up in his bag
during a packing mix-up with his wife. The couple were departing for
separate destinations.

GSP Police Chief Thomas Watson said Friday that he had filed the
required paperwork for the incident.

Fines of $34,195 were imposed from 1990-99 against airlines, employees
and shippers at GSP. Others received warning letters for violations and
still others escaped with "no action." 

Security is primarily a function of the airlines, which contract with
private security firms for X-ray screeners and metal detector operators.
The airport authority provides backup, terminal and perimeter security
through its own armed police force.

Under FAA procedures, multiple violations can result from one incident.
GSP's 300 violations stemmed from 80 individual incidents.

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID8

*****************************************