U.S. inspectors to begin security visits at BIA

BANGOR – Bangor International Airport will be among the first in the nation to begin the process of federalizing its airport security, Transportation Security Administration officials announced Tuesday.

On June 23, the city-owned airport will be one of 23 airports in the country to receive initial visits from administration inspectors, thus positioning BIA among the first to make the transition of its security operation to the federal government.

“Moving into these airports is a milestone in the federalization process,” John Magaw, undersecretary of transportation for security, said in a Tuesday news release.

Citing the success of pilot programs across the country, Magaw said the June 23 assessments – the first round of inspections – will enable the agency to meet its Nov. 19 deadline to federalize security screening at all of the nation’s 429 commercial airports.

BIA director Rebecca Hupp said she welcomed next week’s visit from federal inspectors and looked forward to the completion of the involved process.

“We have been preparing for this for some time,” said Hupp, hoping that next week’s site survey would give airport officials a better understanding of exactly how and when the TSA will assume control of security screening at BIA.

“This is certainly the first step in what will be a complex process,” she said.

Bangor was included in the first round of inspections because of the anticipated ease of preparing the relatively small facility for security upgrades, according to spokesman Greg Warren of the Transportation Security Administration.

Prompted by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in which hijackers successfully commandeered four commercial jets, the federalization process consists of three steps: a site survey to determine the best design of the checkpoints; checkpoint reconfiguration to best facilitate security and safety of the flying public; and deployment of a general screening work force.

The time frame between arrival of the site assessment team and full deployment of a federal screening work force depends on the size of the airport and other factors. The recruitment, assessment, training and deployment of screeners at a given airport will take five weeks or longer.

Manchester Airport in Manchester, N.H., and Groton-New London Airport in Groton, Conn., are the only other New England airports included in the June 23 site surveys.

By the end of the first week in July, site assessment teams will be in 90 additional airports, including most of the largest in the country.