‘Airport personnel, vendors must undergo checkpoints’

The Transportation Security Administration has issued a new policy requiring all government and private employees to go through security checkpoints before entering secure areas of airport terminals.

TSA reportedly sent out three security directives on Tuesday that direct airports to come up with a plan to screen all employees going into secure areas and to limit the number of doorways that provide access to restricted zones.

Acting TSA-Saipan director Viola Sablan declined to comment on the directives. She instead referred the Saipan Tribune to the Commonwealth Ports Authority.

CPA executive director Carlos H. Salas said he had yet to see a copy of the directives as of yesterday afternoon.

But in a press statement, TSA director for communications and public information Mark Hatfield Jr. said the recently released security directive regarding access by airport employees and vendors to security identification and display areas “are designed to fortify security and identify and disrupt potential threats to civil aviation.”

“The Transportation Security Administration continually analyzes threat information and evaluates the system of security layers we have placed at our nation’s airports. A focus of current efforts is aimed at enhancing protective measures around the sterile and SIDA areas of each complex,” Hatfield said.

He added, “As part of these newly issued security directives, TSA will require enhanced background checks and improved access control for airport employees working in restricted areas.”

Salas expressed confidence that there are sufficient security measures in place at the Saipan International at present.

He said all employees are required to wear badges on airport premises and to key in their special access number when entering secure areas.

All airport personnel have also undergone extensive background checks before they were hired.

“Airport operation is not only a matter of security. It is also about customer service. So we try to implement what is reasonable, while making sure that we comply with all TSA directives,” Salas said.

The airport is accessed everyday by CPA personnel, as well as employees of the divisions of Immigration and Customs Services.

Aside from the airlines and the supporting service providers such as Pacific Oriental Link and Pacific Airport Service, there are also three major vendors at the airport—DFS Saipan, JMC, and LSG Sky Chefs.