TSA Seeks Comment on 'Identity-Based' Screening

AFP

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is soliciting comments about a planned program that would cut down on controversial pat-downs and full-body scanner searches at airports and instead rely on an "intelligence" system that focuses on people who have been identified as a threat.

The move would eventually allow some frequent fliers to obtain trusted status similar to what's been granted pilots, who pushed for faster security checks and also expressed concern about being exposed to radiation at the body scanner machines. Now pilots traveling in uniform on airline business for a U.S. carrier have astreamlined process for security screening.

The TSA's official Blogger Bob is asking for suggestions and comments about the proposed "identity-based" system as it would apply to the general public.

"Physical screening will likely never go away completely, but the idea of adding identity-based security makes good sense and it's an idea we're actively exploring. So, we'd like to hear your suggestions and ideas,'' Bob says.

The blog comes weeks after TSA Administrator, and former FBI agent, John Pistole told a group of American Bar Association lawyers that the agency is attempting to move more into intelligence on passengers who pose a threat rather than making air travel unpleasant for all of the 628 million people who are screened in the U.S. each year.

"At the airport, numerous layers of security are in place. There are behavior detection officers, explosive-detection canines and closed-circuit video surveillance. And, of course, we do have the physical screening at the checkpoint,'' Pistole told the assembled lawyers in his speech.

"We want to focus our limited resources on higher-risk passengers, while speeding and enhancing the passenger experience at the airport,'' Pistole said in his remarks.


by Michele McPhee
AOL Travel.

Japan Travel Crippled reports USA TODAY

Japan travel still crippled following quake

UPDATED: Monday, 10:45 a.m ET

By Laura Bly, USA TODAY

With a death toll expected to surpass 10,000, fears of radiation leaks from damaged power plants, and dozens of strong aftershocks following Friday's devastating 8.9 earthquake and tsunami, travel to and within Japan remains crippled.

The U.S. State Department is advising Americans to avoid travel until April 1, noting that "strong aftershocks are likely for weeks." In an alert updated March 13, the department said it was not aware of any casualties among the estimated 160,000 Americans in Japan, including about 1,300 in the prefectures most affected by the quake and tsunami. The offshore epicenter of Friday's quake, which has been followed by more than 100 aftershocks, is about 200 miles north of Tokyo near the coastal city of Sendai.

A March 14 State Department warden message, meanwhile, said the "Japanese government is asking the public to reduce the amount of electric power usage as much as possible and not to go out unless necessary. TEPCO advises residents in the Kanto area (comprising the seven prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa) to avoid traveling, to conserve electricity as much as possible even outside of the Kanto area, and to avoid driving because traffic signals may be out. Due to the blackouts, trains and subways in Tokyo are cutting back on their service. Reduced service will impact commuters during rush hour as well as throughout the day and night."

Flights are departing with some delays from Tokyo's Narita and Haneda airports, the State Department said. Many airlines are letting passengers delay their trips to Japan without penalties; on Sunday, Delta extended its travel waiver for flights through March 20, while both United and American's waivers are good through March 18.

Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea resorts, where some 20,000 people were stranded overnight following Friday's quake, reported no injuries or major damage but will remain closed for about 10 days, reports the Japan Times.

Roy Liao of California-based Super Value Tours, which had about 200 clients in Japan when the quake struck, said that all are safe and have either left the country or are continuing on their scheduled itineraries. The company has canceled departures to Japan through March 15.

While communications disruptions make it "difficult to get a clear picture," Liao said " we're hearing really positive reports for Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe and Osaka," the primary destinations for most U.S. visitors. One major problem, he added, is that the closure of major highways has hobbled airport access: "A trip from Tokyo to Narita that normally takes two hours was eight hours," he said.

Sky Whitehead, a Los Angeles-based business development manager who arrived in Japan last week, was about to enter an office elevator in Tokyo's Toronomon district when the quake struck Friday. "There wasn't a lot of panic, but it was pretty intense," Whitehead said Saturday. Despite fears of rolling blackouts because of power cuts from nuclear power plants closer to the epicenter, Whitehead said the city is "apprehensively, cautiously getting back to normal." He plans to return to the U.S. as scheduled next Wednesday.

All ports in Japan remain closed; Cunard canceled the Queen Mary 2's scheduled call at Nagasaki Saturday and Azamara Club Cruises has canceled its planned Sunday call in Osaka.

"The entire country of Japan is still assessing the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami," the line notes in a statement. "While initial reports suggest that Kyoto (Osaka) did not sustain major damage, we feel that the recent events and continuing aftershocks have the potential to seriously disrupt Azamara Quest's experience and our operations in port."

About 8.6 million foreign tourists visited Japan last year, including 727,000 Americans.

Posted Mar 13 2011 5:02PM

Moving Toward A New Avgas

Unleaded avgas could spell "massive changeover"

The Environmental Protection Agency's call for unleaded aviation gas could be a game changer for general aviation, according to some executives. "This industry is dealing with a massive changeover situation, and people don't seem to realize how big this issue is," said Lycoming senior vice president and CEO Mike Kraft. Flying (02/2011)

House Cuts AIP Funding

Airlines praise House version of FAA bill

On Friday, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., released the House version of the FAA reauthorization bill. "This is a lean bill that recognizes our current budgetary difficulties and the need to do more with less," Mica said in a statement. "This bill saves $4 billion, requiring FAA to find significant cost savings without negatively impacting safety." The House measure does not include a passenger facility charge increase or labor provision opposed by FedEx and UPS, and it would phase out the Essential Air Service program except for Alaska and Hawaii. Reuters (02/11)AviationWeek.com (02/12) Dallas Morning News, The (free registration) (02/11) Hill, The (02/11)

Community Supports Balloon Companies

Hot-air balloonists buoyed by community support in Calif.

The Eldorado Polo Club in Indio, Calif., will hold a Save the Balloons fundraiser on Feb. 27. A local olive farm has filed numerous lawsuits against balloonists to ground hot-air balloons from flying over the farm. "This is what needed to happen, as far as the community coming out and showing its support," said Wil LaPointe, a pilot with Balloons Above. Desert Sun (Palm Springs, Calif.), The (02/13)

TSA revises LASP proposal

TSA revises LASP proposal

06-Jan-2010

By Matt Thurber

While the business aviation community may have been hoping that the Transportation Security Administration’s controversial Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) would go away, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified last month that the TSA plans to issue a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) “before the end of 2010.”

LASP, as originally proposed in October 2008, would require all operators of Part 91 aircraft with an mtow of more than 12,500 pounds to create a TSA-approved security program (see article page 12), put all flight crew through FBI criminal history background checks, compare all passengers against the TSA’s watch lists and impose new restrictions on carriage of certain items in the cabin.

Napolitano told the Senate aviation subcommittee that the TSA will incorporate the input from GA stakeholders that it has sought throughout its rulemaking process for the SNPRM, including five public meetings, and hold “additional comment outreach sessions” with affected stakeholders to gain further input and feedback.

Late last summer, the agency re-engaged its aviation security advisory committee (ASAC), a part of the TSA that is charged with recommending improvements in security methods, equipment and procedures for civil aviation.

Government and industry officials received an update on the proposed LASP that was rescinded earlier in the year after a storm of overwhelming negative comments, which some have estimated at nearly 7,400. Napolitano said the TSA received 8,000 comments in response to the initial NPRM.

NBAA enlisted members to testify before Congress about their concerns with LASP. In July, Martha King, co-owner of association member King Schools, told the House subcommittee on transportation security and infrastructure protection that general aviation operators are concerned about security measures that sacrifice liberty without benefit to society.

“This proposal does not recognize the significant differences between airline operations and noncommercial operations, which do not carry members of the general public,” she explained. “General aviation operators personally know everyone on their aircraft. I believe general aviation security would be best enhanced by having the TSA establish a rulemaking committee to address the questions and concerns raised by industry and the public on the LASP.”

Source: AIN Online