"Nashville: Security storm on the ground causes longer lines before takeoff"

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Security storm on the ground causes longer lines before takeoff 
BY JARED ALLEN
Nashville (TN) City Paper

   
For years, people leaving Music City by way of the Nashville International
Airport (BNA) enjoyed some of shortest security lines in the business. But
that is changing, rapidly, airport and federal safety officials say.

A perfect storm of security factors is swirling around BNA, and that has
resulted in a four-fold increase in peak wait times to get through the
federal security checkpoints.

And with Thanksgiving and the holiday travel season approaching, things are
likely to get worse before they get any better.

"It's a real situation, and it's probably going to continue," Lynne
Lowrance, spokeswoman for the Nashville Airport Authority, said of the
increased wait times just outside of the airport terminals.

"Typically, we have one of the best wait times nationwide," Lowrance said.

But Lowrance and officials with the Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) said those wait times have increased dramatically.

A month ago, the average security wait time at BNA was under 10 minutes,
with the peak wait time reaching 15-20 minutes.

Last week, the average shot up to 20 minutes, with the wait time peaking at
68 minutes last Sunday.

Lowrance attributed the increase to a number of factors, including increased
passenger volume and a recent change in security procedures that has been
hard for many to immediately grasp.

"Number one, more people are flying," she said. "Thanksgiving eve is usually
our busiest day of the year. Well, we surpassed those numbers this past
Sunday [as] 17,300 people boarded airplanes Sunday."

TSA regional spokesman Christopher White noted that between this time last
year and last week, the average number of daily BNA passengers increased
from 13,000 passengers to 16,000.

"The main factors are a highly increased volume of passengers, a new
airline, JetBlue, providing service in Nashville, and the modifications to
the prohibited items ban," White said.

But White and others said that, by far, the longer lines are being caused by
the Sept. 25 modifications to the travel items ban, which allowed passengers
to resume bringing certain liquids, gels and aresols on board, provided they
are in containers of 3 ounces or less and all in a 1-quart clear plastic
bag.

In addition, the clear bags must be taken out of all other carry-on luggage
before reaching the metal detectors.

Those security changes, more than others in the past, are causing longer
waits, both in Nashville and around the country.

"As these new security measures evolve, people are confused," Lowrance said,
adding that as a result, passengers are not prepared for the checkpoint when
they reach it, and the inevitable full bag search that must ensue slows the
entire line down.

"The single biggest factor to increased wait times is passenger preparation
for screening," White said.

In Nashville, as many 30 percent of all passengers are failing to comply
with the new security procedures, said Ken Meyer, BNA's Assistant Federal
Security Director.

Airport officials are already taking steps to alleviate the flow, including
moving security staff from checked bag screening to carry-on screening
during peak travel times.

In addition, on Monday the airport will officially kicking off a
multi-phase, multi-million dollar security renovation, which will eventually
include the addition of four new security lanes, bringing the total from the
current seven to 11 lanes.

"It will certainly help when we get our consolidated security checkpoint up
and running, which is part of our $47 million renovation," Lowrance said.
"Phase one of the five-year project is three years, but we're still not sure
when it will come on line with the four additional lanes."

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