FORT WORTH
(Map)
-
FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Eagle
Airlines agrees with the TSA that the inspection process is an important layer
of security detail.
American Eagle is confident that it followed all proper security
procedures for securing aircraft overnight at Chicago's O'Hare International
Airport. Discussing specific security procedures in detail in a public forum
could compromise the security process.
On the morning of Aug. 19, a TSA transportation security inspector used a
sensitive piece of equipment on nine American Eagle aircraft to hoist himself
up from the ground onto several jet bridges at O'Hare. Such unorthodox
inspection techniques required additional maintenance inspections per FAA
procedures, causing delays to approximately 40 flights and inconveniencing
hundreds of customers.
If not observed by vigilant Eagle employees in Chicago, the actions of
this inspector would have been unknown and could have jeopardized the safety
of our customers and crew because of potential damage to the sensitive
equipment mounted on the aircraft fuselage.
American Eagle is also concerned that the TSA inspector's method of
physically hoisting himself up to the jet bridge using a part of the aircraft
could have placed him in physical danger.
