San Francisco Airport Officials Seek Liability Protection

By Carol Kennedy

Published on August 02, 2005

The reason for the request is that SFO is one of five airports in the country with private security screeners. All other airports in the country have federal security screeners from TSA. TSA sponsors the pilot Screening Partnership Program that gathers data to compare how private companies handle the same job as federal workers. SFO employs screeners from Covenant Aviation Securities, a private security company. Approximately 1100 workers from Covenant began work at SFO in 2002.

Vice President of the Airports Council International Trade Association said that the added flexibility and benefits of working with a private company might also expose the airport to increased liability because under the federal model airports are protected. Van Beek further stated that it is very difficult to sue federal workers for an event like 911 but very easy to file a claim against an airport with a different model.

Airport spokesman, Michael McCarron said that the program has been working well and they are pleased with the level of security the company has provided.

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