Bostonherald.com
Monday, September 17, 2001

Experts: Smaller airports may pose security risk
by Robin Washington

With the reopening of major U.S. airports under tighter new anti-terrorism
measures, some safety experts warn that the nation remains at risk from
smaller airstrips with little or no security procedures.

Though the Federal Aviation Administration mandates all commercial airports
have security programs, the agency doesn't necessarily require metal
detectors or X-ray machines - meaning the last line of defense may be a
ticket agent doing a hand check.

Charlie LeBlanc, an airport security consultant in Houston, called the
policy a second air disaster waiting to happen.

``I would venture to say there are at least 20 to 30 airports throughout the
U.S. that have zero security checkpoints in place,'' he said.

``Is it the biggest concern of the FAA right now? No, because their larger
concern is the big airports. But what were they doing about it before the
events on Tuesday?''

One of those small strips is Cape Cod's Barnstable Municipal Airport, which
received a security recertification from the FAA Thursday.

Barnstable's largest flier is Cape Air, which makes direct flights to
Boston's Logan International Airport, where passengers deplane from the
nine-seaters right onto the tarmac.

``We never screen and we never have,'' said Cape Air spokeswoman Michelle
Haynes.

But, she added, once passengers get to Logan they aren't allowed to wander
around the runway.

``When you arrive, you're escorted. (The agent) says `Welcome to Boston.
Wait by the wing,' '' Haynes said.

``We take it very seriously and in this environment even more so,'' Haynes
said, adding that passengers can't connect to major carriers without going
through security at Logan.

FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac confirmed the procedure meets federal
standards, and that Barnstable shouldn't be seen as lacking in security.

``It does have a security program,'' she said, adding, however, she couldn't
discuss the details.

Debby McElroy of the Regional Aviation Association, a trade group of smaller
airlines, said airports without metal detectors or X-ray machines are not
uncommon.

``In the cases where there may not be that equipment, the FAA requires air
carriers to conduct (alternative) security measures,'' she said.

LeBlanc said that isn't good enough.

``What they didn't tell you is those people on Cape Cod have those X-ray
glasses,'' he said facetiously.

``The mentality is, `We're going to let the Cape Cods fall through cracks
and pick up the slack and screen them at Logan.' That in itself cheapens the
lives of the people flying out of Cape Cod,'' he said.

LeBlanc said there are also risks on the smaller planes themselves, many of
which allow passengers to sit right behind or next to the pilot, with the
controls within reach.

``They say, `Don't touch that.' It's a little amazing. If the guy's in the
approach to Logan, would he be able to recover if you pushed the yoke
forward?''

Though he said passengers could immediately effect change by refusing to fly
such airlines, LeBlanc said the real blame lies with the FAA.

``(The airlines) are only doing what's allowed to be done,'' he said.

``We need to look at all levels, including these itty-bitty airports that
the FAA says must comply at some level. Well, you know they don't,'' he
said.

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