Every air traveler knows first hand about the stringent security measures at airports these days. But what about individuals who have direct physical access to airplanes on a daily basis?
I take it for granted that there is some sort of background check for every individual who is hired as a baggage handler, as an air cabin cleaner or as a caterer. But how strict are the security checks these workers have to submit themselves to on a daily basis, i. e. every time they start their shift which gives them access to otherwise severely restricted areas at the airport? Is it anything like regular TSA security checks for passengers? If John Doe, the baggage handler, shows up for work with an unusually big lunch box, will it be noticed?
Flying into St Martin there is always a delay between landing and disembarking. I sit in my seat and watch the baggage being removed. The guys who go into the belly of the plane are patted down and wanded before being allowed in.
Theoretically, you are right… but every so often you read in the news about the people who are working the airports who have criminal records, and you read of theft rings and drug smuggling rings operating in airports (very convenient when contents are x-rayed - the thieves can be alerted when luggage contains valuable items).
Of course, if up to one quarter of your disadvantaged minority is jailed at one time or another between ages 16 and 24, is it any surprise that many applicants for low-paying heavy lifting jobs are those with criminal records?
I suspect the airports south of the USA are extra alert because the last thing they want is a reputation that might lock them out of the US tourist market; and the last thing the airlines want is to end up paying extra fines or losing business because of wayward ground crews… plus sometimes outside of the USA none of those pesky constitutional rights are quite as applicable.
AFAIK everyone entering the restricted areas of airports has to go through security, even employees, but that is (obviously) more aimed at explosives and weapons than at other contraband. The pallets of supplies for shops inside security must be an extra problem. I don’t know if there is any scrutiny leaving security. (What would be the point? Then they just pass the goods to passengers leaving security, who are not stopped.)
At US locations it depends. Some places those backstage workers go through the sterile barrier with an ID check and that’s it. At other places there’s the typical x-ray for personal belongings and magnetometer portal for the people. Usually staffed by private security rather than TSA. But the local program is still approved by and overseen by TSA.
Terminal workers who never go backstage, such as retail clerks & restaurant workers go through the same screening program as passengers. They’ve also been background screened and have some limited form of airport-specific ID, but not to the degree as the folks allowed backstage.
In low-wage countries many ground-handling staff are screened getting on and off the airplane as **kayaker **says. In most cases this is about preventing baggage theft and drug smuggling. But it has some collateral preventative effect on smuggling weapons or bombs on board as well.
Late add ref md2000. All the stuff sold in the shops and restaurants goes through an x-ray on the way in. It’s a major PITA for them. Naturally they try to restock overnight to avoid getting wrapped up in the passenger screening crowd. Depending on the size of the airport there may be a dedicated screening point for this stuff someplace out of the way.
A similar screening program exists for the catering companies that deliver supplies from a central kitchen/warehouse directly to the aircraft.
None of this stuff is 100.0000% effective. It can’t be and still process any passengers, much less the millions we collectively process every single day. But screening coupled with active intel is holding the line well enough.
I nearly spit all over my keyboard and monitor. Shirley, you jest, Donnerwetter?
Do you mean the Theater of Security Agency that our government enacted after 9/11 to give some of us a sense of security when flying? More of a time waster than anything else.