Oversight Of Airport And Airline Security Programs

This report assesses the operational performance of explosives-detection equipment and hardened unit-loading devices (HULDs) in airports and compares their operational performance to their laboratory performance, with a focus on improving aviation security.

TSA has implemented numerous initiatives designed to enhance aviation security, but has collected limited information on the effectiveness of these initiatives in protecting commercial aircraft. Our recent work on passenger screening found that little testing or other data exist that measures the performance of screeners in detecting threat objects. However, TSA is taking steps to collection data on the effectiveness of its security initiatives, including developing a 5-year performance plan detailing numerous performance measures, as well a implementing several efforts to collect performance data on the effectiveness of passenger screening-such as fielding the Threat Image Projection System and increasing screener testing.

Air carriers remain a front-line defense against acts of terrorism that target the nation¿s civil aviation system. A key responsibility of air carriers is to check passengers¿ names against terrorist watch-list records to identify persons who should be prevented from boarding (the No Fly List) or who should undergo additional security scrutiny (the Selectee List). Eventually, the Transport. Security Admin. (TSA) is to assume this responsibility through its Secure Flight program. However, due to program delays, air carriers retain this role. This report examined: (1) the watch-list-matching requirements air carriers must follow that have been established by TSA; and (2) the extent to which TSA has assessed air carriers¿ compliance with these requirements. Illus.