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June 2002
Regional airports challenged by new security changes
Air travelers have probably noticed the security changes at the nation's large commercial airports since September 11, but the effects of that day on smaller regional airports may be less familiar. In a session titled "Airport Changes in the Face of New Security Issues," representatives from two Minnesota airports discussed some of the challenges they've been grappling with in the wake of 9-11.
Shaun Germolos, director of operations for the Duluth Airport Authority, said that of the many federal directives immediately following September 11, the one that had the greatest impact on Duluth International was the closure of all parking areas within 300 feet of the airport. Since parking makes up about 20 percent of the revenue for this mid-sized commercial airport, the loss was substantial. Another directive prohibited the parking of unattended vehicles in front of the terminal, which Germolos said affected not only the taxi industry but other commerce as well. "We weren't getting our newspapers delivered because it was too much of a hassle," he said.
Other immediate actions the airport undertook included adding security personnel, revalidating approximately 500 security badges, re-coring door locks for security access, posting Army National Guard personnel at checkpoints, replacing some existing airport fencing and gates, and adding a secure employee parking lot.
Germolos said that although 2001 had been poised to be a record revenue year for the airport, he feels fortunate to have ended it down only about 3 percent. Germolos is hopeful that parking revenue, down about 7 percent so far this year, will increase with the upcoming high season. By proposing an alternative security plan, the airport has been able to restore about 200 parking spaces.
Germolos said that the airport will be challenged in making required changes to its 30-year-old passenger terminal and in implementing 100 percent baggage screening with new screening machines by the end of the year. Since the machines are comparable in size to a pickup truck, Germolos said, finding space for them will be difficult.
Regarding new security issues, Germolos said, "Our philosophy is not too concerned about the person who wants to blow up a van in the parking lot…because that will not have as much of an impact [at an airport of Duluth's size]." Rather, the airport wants to focus on providing good customer service by expediting the screening process while still ensuring it's thorough. That's critical, Germolos said, because once someone passes through Duluth's airport, "they're in the system", traveling on to places such as Minneapolis or Chicago, where if something happens, "it will make headlines."
Thor Einarson, airport manager for Falls International Airport, echoed many of Germolos's concerns. In addition, Einarson said his airport faces some unique issues because of its location on an international border; for example, the border patrol and Immigration and Naturalization Service have increased their numbers there.
Einarson said that the economic impacts of September 11 would have been much worse had the events occurred in the spring, since much of the airport's traffic consists of summer fishing trips. But the airport, like others, is now trying to determine how it will pay for new security requirements. At first, Einarson said he understood that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was going to cover 100 percent of the security costs. "Now I'm hearing 50 percent," he said. The cost of about $200,000 annually may seem small, he said, "but for an airport our size, that's more than our total maintenance and operations budget." In addition, the airport's insurance rates will go up 200 percent this year. Both Einarson and Germolos agreed that these financial burdens might be especially hard on smaller general aviation airports.
According to Einarson, the TSA has issued many different directives that have caused some confusion and frustration for airports. "[The TSA] has a lot of steam in the ship, but I'm not too sure who's navigating or steering," he said, adding that Falls International is waiting to get clear direction for what the long-term security needs and issues will be, especially since the TSA has been pushing deadlines back.
Although it deserves some credit for the huge job it's attempting, Einarson said the agency "has taken a cookie-cutter approach for airports in trying to secure the skies." He also expressed concern for safeguarding civil liberties in light of the new security changes.