"Discipline Issued For DIA Deicing Deficiencies"

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Discipline Issued For DIA Deicing Deficiencies
By Brian Maass 
KCNC-TV Ch 4 (CBS), Denver (CO)


Denver International Airport has handed down stern discipline to four top
managers of Servisair, a deicing company caught cheating and cutting corners
in a CBS4 investigation broadcast 2 months ago.

The investigation found the largest deicing company at DIA spoon-feeding
test answers to job applicants, guaranteeing anyone who applied for a
deicing job with Servisair would pass a battery of tests required by the 22
airlines Servisair deices at DIA. Servisair conducts deicing operations for
every major airline at DIA except United, which has its own deicing crews.

The probe also caught the company falsifying official airport forms,
allowing untrained employees to drive around the airfield without the
instruction required by airport regulations.

Servisair quickly fired one trainer, who was caught on tape handing out test
answers to job applicants.

Now, DIA managers have imposed their own discipline.

Mark Nagel, the airport's Acting Director of Security, notified Servisair
last month that four of its employees' security badges were being suspended
or revoked for violations of airport rules and regulations.

The airport suspended the security badge for Servisair's General Manager at
DIA, Richard 'Woody' Woodruff for 30 days for two infractions, "Interfering
with Security Procedures" and "Unacceptable Conduct in Restricted Area."

Woodruff was also informed he will no longer be allowed to authorize forms
showing that Servisair employees have completed the airport's driver
training. DIA told Woodruff if he incurs a similar violation in the next two
years, his airport ID badge may be suspended for 6 months.

John Kinney, DIA's Manager of Airport Operations, explained that suspending
an employee's security badge is a serious step, as it prevents them access
to secure areas of the airport, severely diminishing their usefulness to
their employer.

Also disciplined by DIA, Office Supervisor Tabitha Bellington, who was
caught on an undercover camera forging an official airport document. DIA
revoked Bellington's airport ID badge, which led to her being fired by
Servisair.

When contacted by CBS4, Bellington confirmed Servisair fired her after her
security badge was terminated.

DIA managers also suspended the security badge for 14 days for another
trainer, Brian Bruns, and suspended for 6 months his standing as a "Lead
Driver Trainer."

The fourth manager disciplined is Eric Hanson, a Servisair Operations
Manager, whose DIA badge was suspended for 14 days. Hanson is also banned
from acting as a Lead Driver Trainer at the airport.

Servisair Vice-President Dino Noto declined to discuss the airport's
disciplinary moves.

"The company's policy," said Noto, "is to maintain all disciplinary action
taken with its employees as confidential. The company is continuing to
investigate this matter."

Servisair did appeal the airport's disciplinary action but that appeal was
denied Jan. 3. The company still has the right to appeal to Aviation Manager
Turner West.

Click or paste the link to view the video:

http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=37940@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



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