"TSA Tests Relaxed Security for Team Charter Flights"

Saturday, September 25, 2004

TSA Tests Relaxed Security for Team Charter Flights
By Sara Kehaulani Goo
The Washington (DC) Post


When the Washington Redskins flew out of Dulles International Airport last
weekend for their game with the New York Giants, the Transportation Security
Administration's chief operating officer, Jonathan Fleming, was there to see
them off -- not as a fan of the football team, but to monitor a pilot
program loosening security procedures for professional sports teams flying
on chartered jets. 

The Redskins players and coaches didn't have to go through all of the metal
detector, X-ray and other screening procedures required under current rules
as they boarded their chartered jet, operated by UAL Corp.'s United
Airlines. 
 
"We're running a pilot to see if there's a benefit" to creating new rules
for sports teams, said TSA spokesman Mark Hatfield. The program is with
United, he said, and the Redskins "just happened to be the first one." 

Current security rules for chartered flights differ depending on the
aircraft size. Operator of smaller planes, such as Learjets used by
corporate executives, must ensure only that criminal history checks have
been conducted on the flight crew and that access to the flight deck is
restricted. Those flying larger jets, such as ones used by professional
sports teams or vacationers on cheap trips to the Caribbean, must "ensure
that the aircraft is free of weapons, explosives, and incendiaries before
the individuals board," according to the government rules. 

Hatfield said the TSA is considering whether chartered flights for sports
teams, which usually include the same passengers, could abide by rules that
are less stringent that those that apply to large planes. 

The Redskins and other professional sports organizations contacted yesterday
said they had not asked the government to relax charter rules, even though
some sports leagues complained when the rules were put into effect after the
terrorist attacks in 2001. 

"We didn't ask for anything," said Redskins spokesman Karl Swanson. "The TSA
asked us if we'd be part of a pilot program. I assume it's because we're
based in Washington and it's easy for them." 

The idea for loosening the charter security rules came up at a meeting at
the agency's operational center in Virginia this summer with major
professional sports leagues, TSA officials said. 

A spokesman for the National Football League did not recall that the topic
was mentioned. "We certainly, as a league, did not ask for any uniform
modifications to the law," said Greg Aiello, spokesman for the league.
"However, that's not to say an individual team has not asked for some
different solution to conform with the law." 

Major League Baseball, each of whose teams has 162 regular-season games a
year, half of them on the road, raised questions about the security
procedures earlier. But an official yesterday said the league did not ask
the TSA to get rid of the rules. 

"We thought sports teams obviously would be less threatening just for the
very reason about the same group traveling together," said Kevin Hallinan,
senior vice president for security and facility management for Major League
Baseball.


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