BUSINESS
RELATING TO GOVERNMENT
INSIGHTS ON U.S. LEGISLATIVE ISSUES AND INDUSTRY TOPICS
The end of the line: Travelers to see relief at airports?
NOW THAT PEAK TRAVEL season has
arrived, the increase in airport security
wait lines has become a frustrating and
difficult problem for travelers and the
Transportation Security Administration.
With a significant media buzz—and more
than 70,000 passengers reporting missed
flights—both Congress and the administration have taken strong steps in resolving this issue as quickly as possible.
The problem
The phenomenon of unusually long wait
lines is the byproduct of a combination
of problems that include agency governance at TSA, funding shortfalls and
exponential increases in traveler traffic.
Congress held several hearings earlier
this year to examine the causes of long
wait lines. Witnesses who testified
unanimously pointed to TSA’s hostile
and retaliatory work culture, which has
created significant internal tensions.
For example, witnesses said that
junior employees who reported misconduct by their superiors faced arbitrary redirected reassignment—essentially being punished for pointing out
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July 2016
problems in the agency. The resulting
work environment caused a significant drop in employee moral