Lott: Rethink air security including costs

WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- Some security measures mandated by the Transportation Security Administration need to be re-examined and perhaps pruned back, Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Tuesday.

The measures Lott primarily pointed to, however, are already almost entirely paid for by TSA.

"I am thinking we are going to need to reassess how much we have done in security and who is paying for it," Lott told members of the Aero Club in Washington. "I think clearly we have dumped some of the costs off on industry that should not be borne by the industry."

Targeted by Lott were the Federal Air Marshals or "sky marshals," law enforcement officers who ride incognito on flights, and the reinforced cockpit doors that must be in place soon.

"Are we going to have two sky marshals in the first-class section. Are we going to reinforce doors?" he asked. "Are we going to have armed pilots in the cockpit? Do we need all of that? Can we modify it in some way?"

The number of sky marshals might be reduced, suggested Lott, or they could ride other than in the first class section, which is close to the cockpit door.

"Without saying where, maybe we can have some of them sit in coach -- with senators," Lott quipped.

One might get the impression the airlines were paying for the presence of the marshals -- they are, but only indirectly.

"The federal air marshals are the defenders of the cockpit -- that is correct," said Brian Doyle, a spokesman for TSA who was addressing the question of where the marshals sit. However, they also are there to protect the passengers, he said. Their actual seat assignments are "made (using) a threat matrix based on intelligence."

Where they sit, however, is not entirely a security matter as far as the airlines are concerned. To them it is also a cost.

The airlines are asserting that the sky marshals cost them millions in ticket sales because they have to provide the seats for them -- seats they want to sell, especially to profitable first-class passengers.

According to a report "Airlines in Crisis, the Perfect Economic Storm," issued by the Air Transport Association March 11, the total cost of post-Sept. 11, 2001, policies to airlines last year was $4.15 billion. Of that, tickets for the federal air marshals cost $210 million, the report said. TSA pays for the rest of the air marshals' expense.

"TSA is paying the salaries and expense (for the sky marshals)," agreed Susan Irby, a spokeswoman for Lott. "The airlines claim a $210 million loss in opportunity because they have to reserve seats for the sky marshals."

TSA is also ultimately paying for most of the expense of reinforcing cockpit doors and is working with the airlines to help them finance the changes, Doyle said.

"They are doing the work. The airlines are reinforcing the cockpits. They are billing the TSA for it and we are reimbursing them for most of those costs," said Doyle.

The report indicated that work on the doors cost $310 million in 2002 but only $200 million had been reimbursed.

Irby said there are other expenses that Lott would like to see the federal government pick up. Listed in the report are ramp security, aircraft inspections, checkpoint document verification, queue management, screening of catering supplies and materials. There are other items as well including airport modifications and airport space occupied by the TSA.

"There are other costs besides (marshals and cockpit doors)," including insurance, Irby said.

"All he was suggesting was a reassessment of the security cost and flexibility on when procedures are put into effect," said Irby. "All of these are ongoing costs."