"Atlanta Airport Manager Urges Expansion of Security Checkpoint"

Thursday, February 13, 2003

Atlanta Airport Manager Urges Expansion of Security Checkpoint
The Atlanta (GA) Journal-Constitution


The checkpoint line at Hartsfield International Airport moves so slowly on
Monday mornings it's not uncommon for passengers to stand in line 45
minutes. 

Hartsfield General Manager Ben DeCosta says that means it's high time for
the Transportation Security Administration to redesign the checkpoint and
add more lanes so travelers can pass through more quickly. For the past five
weeks passengers have waited an average of 45 to 50 minutes on Monday
mornings to take off their coats, throw their keys in a bin and pass through
the metal detector so they can catch their planes, DeCosta said. 

Wait times have grown even though the TSA has all 18 checkpoint lanes open,
along with the T-gate checkpoint and an overflow checkpoint one level above
the airport's underground train. 

DeCosta said he asked local TSA Director Willie Williams to follow through
on an agreement to reconfigure the checkpoint, but Williams told him there
is no money now. DeCosta also has appealed to Georgia's congressional
delegation. 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta has said passengers should wait
no longer than 10 minutes. Most of the time at Hartsfield, that's the case. 

But DeCosta said the slow rebound in passenger volume has caught up with the
security procedures during the Monday morning rush. He worries the jams will
appear on other days, especially with the spring and summer travel seasons
approaching. 

Hartsfield traffic rose 1.3 percent in 2002 compared with 2001, but remains
down from 2000, DeCosta said. 

The TSA planned to redesign the checkpoint last fall but delayed the work,
with the airport's approval, to focus on fielding federal screeners in
October. Officials also wanted to avoid disruption during the holiday
season. 

U.S. Rep. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) called the TSA last week and was told the
money was in place and that Atlanta was on a list of 15 to 20 airports in
line for improvements, his office said. 

But TSA spokeswoman Chris Rhatigan said Wednesday the agency does not have
money budgeted for the project. 

"We do look at surge periods, but we can't reconfigure every lane at every
checkpoint geared towards the busiest times. It's not efficient," she said. 

DeCosta would like a redesigned main checkpoint with as many as 28 lanes to
improve passenger flow at peak times. 

Eventually the TSA will look at boarding cards at Hartsfield's checkpoint
and perform extra searches on those passengers deemed to be high risk. It's
already doing so at several other airports. 

"When you add the selectee screening to an already burdened checkpoint,
you're just asking for an increased hassle for our customers," DeCosta said.


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