No one is exempt from airport security searches anymore.
Beginning next week, all of the 55,000+ workers at Atlanta's HartfieldJackson International Airport will be subject to random searches by the Tranportation Security Administration (TSA). The program will eventually expand to 450 airports, according to the agency.
Currently, most of the workers in the Atlanta airport, and other major air gateways, are not required to pass through the same security lines as airline passengers.
The latest TSA program is designed to find firearms and explosives -- and to eliminate the previous hands-off treatment accorded airport workers, their vehicles, and their packages.
Roving TSA workers will make the random searches.
Although the Atlanta airport ranks just ahead of Chicago's O'Hare as the busiest in the country, the TSA insists its new rules will not cause any additional flight delays.
The random-inspection program has already been added to security procedures at other airports without significant impact on operations, the TSA said.
Officials of both the Atlanta airport and airlines based there praised the program for toughening security awareness but expressed concern about potential delays that might result.
