I’m sick of the TSA and haven’t written about that incompetent bureaucracy since posting a mock press release early last month.
But after enduring the slowest-moving line in recorded history at the Miami Airport yesterday, motivation is no longer a problem.
So it was serendipitous (in a bad way) to see a story in the New York Times indicating that an Obama political appointee is giving union bosses the power to represent TSA bureaucrats.
Seeking to end a debate that has brewed for nearly a decade, the director of the Transportation Security Administration announced on Friday that a union would be allowed to bargain over working conditions on behalf of the nation’s 45,000 airport security officers.
Barring some sort of miracle, this guarantees that airport security will become even more tedious and inefficient in the future. Unions are notorious for creating inflexible working conditions. That’s a big reason why American car companies have lost market share (the second half of this post provides a powerful example), but that’s not something the public directly experiences. Everyone who flies, however, will suffer the consequences of importing UAW-style intransigence into the world of airport security.
Added TSA incompetence might not be completely terrible news if airports had the freedom to choose a better approach. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration also recently decided to prevent additional airports from opting out of the government monopoly and choosing private companies. There are 16 airports using this more efficient approach and many other airports were about to make the switch, but that option no longer exists. Here are some of the depressing details.
TSA Administrator John Pistole also indicated TSA was eliminating the use of private screeners at airports nationwide, except for 16 that already have them in place. “Shortly after beginning as TSA Administrator, I directed a full review of TSA policies with the goal of helping the agency evolve into a more agile, high-performing organization that can meet the security threats of today and the future,” said Pistole. “As part of that review, I examined the contractor screening program and decided not to expand the program beyond the current 16 airports as I do not see any clear or substantial advantage to do so at this time.” …Springfield airport spokesman Kent Boyd said having a private company doing the security screenings gives the airport an opportunity to strengthen its customer service. “While a private company is still under the supervision of TSA, the screeners are employees of a private company,” Boyd said. “If there’s a problem, the airport can go directly to the company to seek a resolution.” He said that process “tends not to happen with the TSA.”
The funniest line in that excerpt, albeit in the form of unintentional humor, was Pistole asserting that a government monopoly system would be “more agile” than private companies. It must have been difficult for him to keep a straight face when uttering something so preposterous.
There’s nothing funny, though, about politicians and bureaucrats undermining the safety and efficiency of flying. Yet that’s the inevitable outcome of these two reprehensible decisions.
[…] 6, 2011 by Dan Mitchell I used to have lots of posts about TSA inefficiency and stupidity, but then I got discouraged and stopped. It seemed pointless to discuss the issue when […]
I figured Obama was trying to kill the airline industry. Now we know why after his sate of the union speech. LIGHTRAIL.
Of course, all the sheeple are getting felt up by DHS at the superbowl right now.
Don’t worry. That is why we need high speed rail. The future is bright. GreeceRUS.
The competence of the Average American Individual is married to Franch Governance. Now who’s going to be able to beat that!
I would be visiting the U.S. at least 4 times a year and pumping many thousands of dollars more into the U.S. economy if it were not for the TSA’s hugely invasive irradition / pornoscanning and sexual groping, which are not even a rational way to address security risks. I would probably create more jobs in the U.S. as well.
And when you put the two stories together it seems fairly obvious that the reason for the moves us simply to create 90,000 new union members (yes, I doubled the number because it will double to make for better working conditions). And then what happens when they all go on strike and paralyze the industry? There won’t be a Reagan to fire their sorry butts.
After what I’ve seen of some of the “screening” tactics, I will never fly again. I love to fly but nothing is worth the indignity of having to strip in front of strangers. In 2006 before the really bad stuff started I was literally ‘felt up’ during the check in process. That was the last time I flew. I’m in my 60s now & won’t subject myself to anything like that again. Trains & buses will do for me now. I wonder when the airlines will start losing money from fewer people flying.
My god. It’s like a Greek tragedy.
Why can’t we get congress to completely de-fund these people?
The TSA is counting on people becoming sick of complaining about the TSA.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michael Eades, M.D., Amy Alkon and Whole9, Dan Mitchell. Dan Mitchell said: Two Recent TSA Decisions Will Make Flying a More Miserable Experience in the Future http://tinyurl.com/4pfdx4b […]