The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that the Transportation Security Administration is considering implementing new security measures for airport and airline employees, just weeks after five people were arrested for conducting gun-smuggling operations involving passenger jets at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, the nation's busiest airport.
New security measures would likely include enhanced screening of airline employees, random security checks and an increased TSA presence in secure areas, according to officials, reported The Associated Press.
The DHS also asked the Aviation Security Advisory Committee to review nationwide airport security to identify how the department can better address security vulnerabilities.
In mid-December, five people were arrested for illegally transporting 153 guns, including AK-47s, on passenger jets headed from Atlanta to New York City. One of the men, Eugene Harvey, worked as a baggage handler for Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, and used his position at Delta to help the other four bypass security, reported the LA Times.
As it currently stands, only passengers, pilots and flight attendants are required to pass through airport metal detectors, while baggage handlers and workers who repair and clean planes are not screened prior to reporting to work, according to Newsday. The TSA currently relies on criminal background checks to vet those employees.
Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnson visited the Atlanta airport Thursday to review security and discuss potential vulnerabilities with the TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to a department statement.
The announcement comes one day after Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., called for the TSA to require daily screenings of airport and airline employees.
"When it is as easy to carry guns, explosives and drugs onto an airplane as a neck pillow, it's high time to overhaul how airports are required to screen employees with access to secure areas of an airport," Schumer said in a statement.
The senator praised the department's quick response and willingness to step up security for its employees.
Hartsfield-Jackson airport spokesman Reese McCranie told the AP that the airport has increased random inspections and its police presence following the gun-smuggling arrest, and is working with federal authorities "on a daily basis to enhance our security posture," adding that the airport plans to announce further changes soon.
