AAAE thanks Congress for maintaining TSA exit lane staffing at airports

American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) President and CEO Todd Hauptli issued the following statement today after Senate passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which includes a provision (Section 603) requiring the Transportation Security Administration to permanently maintain exit lane staffing at all 155 airports at which the agency performed those duties on December 1, 2013:

“AAAE and airports are grateful that the Congress has stepped in to reverse a troubling plan by TSA to shift exit lane staffing responsibilities and costs from the agency to airport operators. The ill-conceived proposal, which was clearly driven by nothing more than a desire to shift costs to industry, raised significant security, policy, and operational concerns for airports, airlines, and the traveling public. We want to recognize Senator Murray for her determined leadership on this issue and the numerous other members of Congress who made efforts over the course of the year to question TSA on the implications of moving forward with its plan. Passage of the bipartisan budget bill and the exit lane staffing requirement is a victory for airports and for common sense.”

The measure, which was approved by the House of Representatives last week and the Senate today, ensures that TSA must continue to staff exit lanes at those airports where it has been performing that function since the agency was created after 9/11.