Besides saying “thanks” at Thanksgiving time for another year of relative prosperity and freedom in this fortunate nation, we should say thanks to all involved organizations and individuals that have made our aviation industry as safe as humanly possible. Safe, because of improved government regulations and – action, like cockpit doors, sky marshals on board of most aircraft, and reversal of passenger behavior in case of an ongoing skyjacking of an aircraft. Safe, because every individual in airport/aircraft operations is at a high state of alert and can be personally fined by the Federal Aviation Administration for violation of safety rules.

Bangor International Airport is unique in that the airport is city-owned, hence the city is the landlord, the city operates the airport, not a private contractor (except for the military portion), and the city provides most aviation-related services for its customers, not a private entity like a Fixed Base Operator (FBO), services that include pre-board, passenger security screening, which differs from other airports, where private companies are hired to provide these services to the airlines on a contractual basis.

From day one, approximately 1984, the Customer Services Division of the airport’s administration has taken great pride in hiring, training and maintaining highly motivated employees. In comparison to other airports employee turnover is minimal, which is especially noteworthy when one considers the working conditions (some work shifts start as early as 4 a.m.), high concentration during screening procedures, dealing with rude passengers and their family members, as well as stress to perform flawlessly to satisfy their own professional pride, and demands from the employer, the city of Bangor’s airport department, the FAA and the airlines as their customer.

According to the airport administration only 20 percent of job applicants survive the 10-year background check, including local, state and federal law enforcement criminal checks or the mandatory first personal interview after applying for this job at City Hall in Bangor. Thereafter would-be pre-board passenger security screeners have to pass a FAA-monitored test at the end of 40 hours of on-the-job training to finally reach their certification. Successful applicants are then re-certified once a year, their supervisors (Red Coats) twice a year. Some individuals never reach certification, others are simply unable to handle the stress and look for greener pastures, i.e. jobs that do not mandate early morning or late evening, not weekend and holiday work that interferes with family life. Remember, airports operate 365 days a year and are open 24 hours.

Most airport pre-board passenger security screeners are part-time city of Bangor employees. They are either retirees or hold full-time employment elsewhere. They do not yet enjoy fringe benefits like vacation time, overtime pay, health insurance or holiday pay in most cases. Industry-wide such items are presently not included in contracts between companies rendering these services to the airlines industry; fees are calculated either on actual passengers screened and/or available aircraft seats from particular airports.

Airlines are obviously negotiating favorable contracts with companies providing these services system-wide in order to keep ticket prices at a minimum. Recently signed legislation will change employment requirements; the one and only benefit would be an improved income for all pre-board security screeners. It has to be noted that this income improvement would ultimately come from an already severely burdened aviation industry (airlines), ergo, higher ticket prices for the traveling public. For all I see, this will be another item that the uneducated airline passenger will reject.

Why is it my sincere desire to report the above? Thanksgiving should include thanks to these folks, who make it possible that the traveling public, like you and me, make the skies as safe as possible before you step on board an aircraft at BIA, the safe airport.

Rainer Suletzki is an aviation consultant from Orono.