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American Morning

Airline Insecurity

Aired October 30, 2003 - 08:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: There are new concerns about airline security after box cutters were found on two separate USAirways flights this week. The latest security breach comes after last week's admission by a 20-year-old college student that he planted banned items on two Southwest Airlines flights to show gaps in security.
Charles Slepian is an airline security consultant and head of the Foreseeable Risk Analysis Center. He joins us from Portland, Oregon to talk about the situation.

Good morning Mr. Slepian. How are you this morning?

CHARLES SLEPIAN, AIRLINE SECURITY CONSULTANT: I'm good. How are you?

O'BRIEN: I'm well. Let's talk about this latest finding in Philadelphia and Boston, box cutters found on jets, both USAirways. Is it likely this is perhaps a copycat out there trying to exploit security holes or is it something else?

SLEPIAN: I think it's more likely some workers out at the airports who are underscoring the fact that you still have direct access to every airplane from the ramp side of an airport, and you can carry onto that plane whatever you like.

O'BRIEN: And this is the side of security which people don't normally see, the so-called back door of the airport. We're used to going through the front door, where we see the transportation security administration. Meanwhile, at the back door, a lot of people would tell you it leaks like a sieve.

SLEPIAN: There are tens of thousands of workers who every day have access to the aircraft, to cargo, to baggage. They go back and forth without going through screening, even though the law requires that they do. And they can take anything they want with them. This is not an issue, really, about box cutters. This is an issue about flaws in our security system, and there is a gaping flaw at the back of the airport.

O'BRIEN: And why hasn't this been addressed, then?

SLEPIAN: It's an excellent question. And one that the TSA has not answered. The Congress refuses to even ask the question. The airline industry doesn't seem to want to do anything about it. And the airports are allowing it to happen.

There is only one airport in this country that I know of where the screeners are regularly checked before they go near an airplane or the workers, and that is Miami International.

Once again, we are focusing attention on the messenger with regard to Matt Heatwole who did this last week, or even focusing attention on the box cutter. You can't take down an airplane with a box cutter anymore, because you can't get into the cockpit. The issue is the flaw in security that allows contraband to go through. Now, if it's a plastic explosive that you put on the plane, now we all know we have a very serious problem. We must plug those holes.

O'BRIEN: All right. But if box cutters can get through, that's one thing. As you said, not only is the cockpit secure, but passengers have a different mindset. Is the TSA, and is the screening procedure getting plastic explosives and guns? Are those being screened out properly?

SLEPIAN: Well, with regard to firearms, every time the screeners are checked, either by the TSA itself, or by Homeland Security, or even by independents who go through there and are charged with trying to get firearms through, they get them through. The problem is our screeners are inadequately trained, which has already been demonstrated by the General Accounting Office. The screeners have backgrounds that are not particularly helpful when it comes to the job that they do. They're not trained in identifying explosives. Until we put the right kind of a screening force out there, we're going to continue to have this problem.

O'BRIEN: Just quickly, is it an $11 billion waste of money then, the TSA?

SLEPIAN: Well, it's a lot of window dressing. We've got some fancy uniforms, but essentially, as long as the back door is open, we might as well leave the front door open, too. There are better things we could do with that money.

O'BRIEN: Charles Slepian, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 30, 2003 - 08:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: There are new concerns about airline security after box cutters were found on two separate USAirways flights this week. The latest security breach comes after last week's admission by a 20-year-old college student that he planted banned items on two Southwest Airlines flights to show gaps in security.
Charles Slepian is an airline security consultant and head of the Foreseeable Risk Analysis Center. He joins us from Portland, Oregon to talk about the situation.

Good morning Mr. Slepian. How are you this morning?

CHARLES SLEPIAN, AIRLINE SECURITY CONSULTANT: I'm good. How are you?

O'BRIEN: I'm well. Let's talk about this latest finding in Philadelphia and Boston, box cutters found on jets, both USAirways. Is it likely this is perhaps a copycat out there trying to exploit security holes or is it something else?

SLEPIAN: I think it's more likely some workers out at the airports who are underscoring the fact that you still have direct access to every airplane from the ramp side of an airport, and you can carry onto that plane whatever you like.

O'BRIEN: And this is the side of security which people don't normally see, the so-called back door of the airport. We're used to going through the front door, where we see the transportation security administration. Meanwhile, at the back door, a lot of people would tell you it leaks like a sieve.

SLEPIAN: There are tens of thousands of workers who every day have access to the aircraft, to cargo, to baggage. They go back and forth without going through screening, even though the law requires that they do. And they can take anything they want with them. This is not an issue, really, about box cutters. This is an issue about flaws in our security system, and there is a gaping flaw at the back of the airport.

O'BRIEN: And why hasn't this been addressed, then?

SLEPIAN: It's an excellent question. And one that the TSA has not answered. The Congress refuses to even ask the question. The airline industry doesn't seem to want to do anything about it. And the airports are allowing it to happen.

There is only one airport in this country that I know of where the screeners are regularly checked before they go near an airplane or the workers, and that is Miami International.

Once again, we are focusing attention on the messenger with regard to Matt Heatwole who did this last week, or even focusing attention on the box cutter. You can't take down an airplane with a box cutter anymore, because you can't get into the cockpit. The issue is the flaw in security that allows contraband to go through. Now, if it's a plastic explosive that you put on the plane, now we all know we have a very serious problem. We must plug those holes.

O'BRIEN: All right. But if box cutters can get through, that's one thing. As you said, not only is the cockpit secure, but passengers have a different mindset. Is the TSA, and is the screening procedure getting plastic explosives and guns? Are those being screened out properly?

SLEPIAN: Well, with regard to firearms, every time the screeners are checked, either by the TSA itself, or by Homeland Security, or even by independents who go through there and are charged with trying to get firearms through, they get them through. The problem is our screeners are inadequately trained, which has already been demonstrated by the General Accounting Office. The screeners have backgrounds that are not particularly helpful when it comes to the job that they do. They're not trained in identifying explosives. Until we put the right kind of a screening force out there, we're going to continue to have this problem.

O'BRIEN: Just quickly, is it an $11 billion waste of money then, the TSA?

SLEPIAN: Well, it's a lot of window dressing. We've got some fancy uniforms, but essentially, as long as the back door is open, we might as well leave the front door open, too. There are better things we could do with that money.

O'BRIEN: Charles Slepian, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com