Airport says TSA not meeting expectations

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Board members for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority received a report on Wednesday stating that the Transportation Security Administration is not even coming close to meeting the airport standards for wait times at security checkpoints.

Airport CEO Phil Brown told the GOAA Board that new TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger has made it clear that security will be the priority and wait times will not be considered. Brown then told the Board that the standard OIA has set is 9 minutes during normal periods. That goal was met just 47 percent of the time at the East checkpoint, and the news was much worse at the other end of the airport.

"The west check point has been a different story. Again this is different software but we monitored it and 10 percent of the time we are meeting the standards."

Ninety percent of the time, passengers at the West checkpoint were waiting too long. Congressman John Mica,  R-Winter Park, says the agency isn't doing well at security either based on a recent internal test.

"Screening is not that effective unfortunately. The media has revealed through some leaks that 95 percent of the time failed to detect items going through. That's up from 75 percent of the time."

CEO Phil Brown told the GOAA Board that may not be the case in Orlando.

"We are not aware that Orlando was involved in any of those deficiencies. I want to make that point clear."

Still, Congressman Mica pointed out that there are too many administrators in the TSA, and more private screening is needed.

"The GAO evaluated their performance and said private screeners performed statistically significantly better."

Despite the longer wait times, 75 percent surveyed at OIA say they are happy with the TSA and the screening process, so for now, the airport has no plans to ditch the agency for private screeners that would be supervised by the TSA. They do plan to try and meet with the new Administrator to discuss the wait time problems.