Airport Security Has Gaping Hole

(CBS)  While passengers, pilots and flight attendants undergo careful screening, a CBS News hidden camera found that it is easy for employees at one of the busiest U.S. airports to get into a secure area: a flash of a badge, no X-rays, no physical screening — no questions asked.

"Could have a gun, could have a bomb. It's very scary," the airport employee told CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian.

An airport employee, who asked CBS News to disguise his identity and alter his voice, showed just how far the wrong person wearing the right badge could go.

"They could drop anything inside a plane or crowded terminal area whatever they decided to do, they could do it," he says.

Nearly 700,000 airport employees across the country — including cleaners, maintenance, catering and ramp workers — hold security IDs, known as "SIDA" badges. In most cases, these badges allow them complete access in and around airplanes.

Security analyst Charlie Slepian has deep concerns over the abundance of badges and the lack of oversight.

"Somebody can take a badge and duplicate it. They can lend it to somebody else," Slepian says. "They can give it away. It can be stolen. And once it's in the hands of somebody who's unauthorized, that person will have access to an airplane or baggage or cargo."

At Reagan Airport in Washington, CBS News cameras caught unscreened workers entering a secure area said to lead directly to baggage handling and the planes.

"It's troubling, very troubling," Slepian says.

Most troubling, say pilots and flight attendants, is how many "inside" SIDA badges belong to outside contractors.

"These people are the lowest-waged people on the property," says flight attendant Charlie Black. "If approached and offered $5,000 or $10,000 to carry a knapsack, would they do it?"

Some say the TSA has it backwards when it puts flight crews — not ground workers — under the microscope.

"The people that we know the most about, that are the most carefully vetted employees, are the ones we are physically searching versus the people we don't know," says Capt. Tracy Price, a pilot.

CBS News wanted to talk with the TSA about this story. But despite repeated requests, no one from the agency would speak on camera. Instead, it issued a statement.

The TSA says employees working in secure areas "...are subject to multiple security layers ... including ... random screening at any time and without notice" and "are required to undergo extensive background checks."

But how extensive can those checks really be when just last year, 65 illegal immigrants got into the TSA system and were working in some of the most secure areas of several major U.S. airports before finally being arrested?

[davey214]

A friend of mine travelling with his girlfriend discovered that she had accidentally packed a 4" blade pocket knife in her purse. they had already checked their luggage and so he came up with a plan. they got that knife thru security 14 times from Europe to the US. i wont say how they did it, but i believe what they said.

[churchof1000]

It is sad and scary that security is so lax. But it's due to the fact that people are still unwilling to bear the additional cost in time & money that it's going to take to make significant improvements in security. One could argue that nothing has been done since 9-11 to SIGNIFICANTLY improve security. Where is the public outcry? Apparently we just don't care that much, because people are still flying. By doing so, we are implicitly agreeing that money is more important than safety. THAT'S why I no longer fly.

[mt5937]

Security 101: Scrutinize the people on the INSIDE first.

[samibarry]

trust the people in charge thats my moto

[gunnerv1]

Thank you Aristithis. A breath of fresh air!

[gunnerv1]

And now you know why I don't fly anymore!

[gunnerv1]

Airport Security is always going to be cr*p until we do like "El Al" Airlines. But the American people will not put up with that type of security check, because (whine) it takes too long. You want to fly on El Al, get to the airport 5 hours early, and thats just to check in!

[aristithis]

I am an airport security professional. I am unable to discuss details of security measures and policies; however, I have worked with a large number of TSA and DHS officials and I rarely get the notion that their actions are arbitrary or capricious. Sure, some security measures fall woefully short and are poorly conceived but their authors and enforcers are individuals who have made it their life's work to act in the best interest of the flying public. Having an insider's view, I understand that transportation security, by air, land or sea, is a constant tug-o-war between competing interests, i.e. unfettered commerce and personal freedom versus safety and security. Transportation security rules and regulations reflect this struggle. We have to strike a balance where we can achieve the safest, most secure transportation environment while preserving our most precious freedoms. It's tough for the public to trust government to do the right thing and asking questions IS the American Way (I am a devout libertarian) but don't fall victim to sensational stories and skewed points of view. Put on your thinking cap. A little bit of knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance. To all you present and former aviation employees, remember that discussing sensitive security information (like security measures or procedures) with anyone who is not expressly authorized by the Secretary of Transportation to receive such information, is against the law (49 CFR parts 15 and 1520).

[grumpas]

Airport security is like the War on Terror! It is PR packaged to make Bush look like he is doing something about terrorism! But, he never has when one bothers to check the facts! It was unreal so many people bought that slop he used in his commercial's to get reelected in 2004! It's like Bluestardad says, "Chicken Hawks who got us into this war don%u2019t know who the enemy is. Nor can they define the enemy we are fighting now! Is the enemy the Saudi back Sunnis or the Iranian backed Shiites that have been our friends for 20 years, could it possibly be the hold outs from the old Saddam regime or maybe just anyone who disagrees with President Bush?" It's really sad the incompetence of this administration! It's even sadder that American's are allowing this boob to run our country!

[mdc76082]

"Somebody can take a badge and duplicate it. They can lend it to somebody else," Slepian says. "They can give it away. It can be stolen. And once it's in the hands of somebody who's unauthorized, that person will have access to an airplane or baggage or cargo"
They did fail to mention, it could also be sold if the price is right. 25 years ago in the Navy we used to go through the verbal reprimand, sometimes put on report, about loosing our military IDs and how they could fall into the hands of terrorists. That was 25 years ago, and we were talking about terrorists then. Now a days, folks just sell'em if the price is right, with no consequences at all.