Federal employees to handle BIA security

BANGOR – Federal employees will take over security screening at Bangor International Airport next week, according to airport officials.

“We’re confident that the transition to a federal security screening work force will be seamless to passengers,” BIA Director Rebecca Hupp said Thursday of the changeover, scheduled for Sept. 4.

BIA will become the first major Maine airport to federalize its security operations, Hupp said.

The move comes as part of the congressionally mandated nationwide federalization of airline security screening as a response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The congressional order requires the Transportation Security Administration to take over passenger screening by Nov. 19 and baggage screening by Dec. 31.

Thus far, the TSA has deployed federal screeners to about 60 of the nation’s 429 commercial airports.

In Bangor, the city-owned airport itself traditionally has provided security services to its resident airlines, which reimbursed the airport for the expense.

Under the new agreement, the TSA, a newly created federal agency, will reimburse the airport.

While there are enough federal security screeners to begin work at the airport on Sept. 4, TSA officials have not yet filled all the needed positions and are still assessing the many applications they have received.

Hupp said that many of the airport’s 43 security screeners – most of who are part-time workers – have applied for the federal jobs, with salaries that range from $23,600 to $35,400.

Federal officials have assured BIA management that airport employees who pass assessment tests and background checks will be offered full-time positions with the TSA security detail at the airport, Hupp said.

“Our goal is to end up with the same amount of screeners or more than we already have in place,” said John Booth, TSA federal security director for five of the state’s airports, in an earlier interview.

In June, federal officials visited BIA to review its three security checkpoints and recently recommended how to redesign the existing passenger gates to comply with national standards.

Hupp characterized the recommended changes – which the TSA will fund – as minor, including the addition of private screening areas.

While the transfer of passenger screening is a notable step in the complex process of federalizing airport security operations, Hupp said, there is still more to be done – namely the potentially costly upgrade of baggage-screening equipment, as mandated by federal authorities.

Portland International Jetport officials said Thursday that TSA officials are on site, but they have not yet set a date to assume control of security there.