Disclosure : This post is a personal view point editorial Since I began covering aviation security on the 15th of September 2001 I have spent a considerable amount of time dealing with the federal agencies that were involved with protecting airports and commercial aviation. When the primary responsibility of aviation security in the United States…
When John Pistole was tapped to become the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Administrator, while serving at the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), many had high hopes for his leadership of the controversial and poorly guided agency. Prior to joining the TSA, on the 25th of June 2010 Pistole was highly respected…
A week ago Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John Pistole made a bold public statement regarding his decision to not review further airport applications to participate in the Screening Partnership Program, a decision that is a potential conflict with an Act of Congress. As of today it appears that a number of the TSA’s upper…
This morning in Las Vegas, where people go to roll the dice and play their luck, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began testing L3 Systems ProVision ATD software loaded into their Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) millimeter wave technology scanners. The current generation of AIT scanner software in use in by the TSA has been highly…
Following the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 3 created the Homeland Security Advisory System on the 11th of March 2002.  The Homeland Security Advisory System is a familiar sight to many travelers, it is the colour coded threat level advisory chart posted in many airports and…
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has frequently found itself pushing the boundaries of its original mission and facing criticism for its actions. A few days ago however the TSA pushed a new boundary … that of publicly stating it was ignoring an Act of Congress. To make matters more complex, TSA Administrator John Pistole is…
During a rare moment of clarity in the creation of Public Law 107-71 (The Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001), which created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an often overlooked provision was included … the provision for airports to be allowed choose a private security contract firm, under the guidance of the TSA, called…
Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport (DME), 26 miles southeast of Moscow, was torn apart by a bomb blast earlier today at 4:37pm MSK, in the international arrivals lounge. The explosion is believed to be set off by at least one suicide bomber, although police believe the blast area is potentially from more than one bomb. The…
Ryanair, known for charging passengers for every conceivable aspect or airline travel, has lost one court battle over a controversial ancillary fee levied against its passengers … charging passengers for boarding passes. Back in May 2009 I wrote about Ryanair’s fee for passengers to check in here – Ryanair’s New Fee To ‘Check In’ &…
With talk of Israeli style airport security frequently popping up in the media, on blogs and in regular conversations with travelers, I’d like to introduce you to an Israeli security firm that has both the technology and credentials to potentially eliminate significant gaps in aviation security. It is rare to find a company of any…
