"Nashville airport needs to step up security improvements"

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Editorial
Nashville airport needs to step up improvements 
The Nashville (TN) City Paper

   
In many respects, an airport is the gateway to any city. It is the facility
that for good or bad makes a first impression on visitors. A city's airport
imparts in some respects to visitors the level of sophistication and
character the city itself has to offer.

In far too many cases, a city's airport makes a very bad first impression.
It is time for leaders in Nashville to consider whether or not it is time
for Nashville International Airport (BNA) to take the next step as a
facility.

The airport has a multi-million dollar renovation planned in phases. Those
phases likely need to be stepped up in the face of crushing air travel and
never-ending security concerns. The good folks at BNA are trying, but they
appear to be held back by a facility built when today's demands on airports
never could have been anticipated.

BNA officials were very open, honest and candid this week about increasingly
long security lines to board planes at their facility. Part of the problem
rests with the passengers themselves, who are simply not paying attention to
the constantly developing security measures our current climate of world
terror requires.

Another part of the issue is simply BNA's growth as a hub for travel as more
people are flying through and into Nashville. We have added new airlines,
and the facility is arguably busier than it has ever been. One recent
weekend day outpaced the busiest Thanksgiving peak travel day in BNA's
history.

Airport staff is trying hard to meet these demands, including reconfigured
security stations and more staff assistance to boarding passengers. They
recognize there is a problem and they are taking measures.

However, airline and Metro leaders need to step up their plans and timeline
for the expansion of security lines at the airport. There are plans for more
security stations to clear passengers for boarding, but there is no timeline
for building them.

Clearly, with the latest news of hour-long waits the time is now. Nashville
and BNA do not need to get a reputation nationally as a place to avoid. Our
airport to many in America is their first and lasting impression of our
city. And our airport needs to make a better impression.

New restaurants are great, but shorter lines would be even better.

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