US lawmakers urge TSA to close public charter ‘vulnerabilities’

Members of Congress urged the US Transportation Security Administration to quickly identify and close any security risks posed by public charter carriers that let passengers skip crowded airports and long security lines. TSA and the FAA began reviewing last year whether standards for such carriers should be revised after the FAA said their rapid expansion would pose “an increased risk to safety if left unchecked.” The letter sent Tuesday to TSA Administrator David Pekoske was signed by 57 members of the US House of Representatives. Public charter carriers offer regularly scheduled flights from smaller, private terminals. Such operators can handle passenger screening on their own and hire pilots who don’t have the minimum 1,500 flying hours required for large scheduled carriers. Debate over the issue has split the nation’s largest airlines. “There should not be varying security standards for the operation of aircraft with more than 9 seats, operating scheduled service, and selling individual tickets,” the letter said. Different levels of scrutiny “makes no sense and creates glaring security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by those who wish to cause harm.” TSA is poised to propose changes in the next few weeks to standards governing such charters, Bloomberg News reported on Feb. 23. The suggested changes, which potentially could threaten the business model, won’t be made public because they’re considered sensitive security information.<br/>