Who screens the screeners? American opinions on the TSA

NEW YORK – They have access to our documentation and belongings – albeit briefly. They both embody and carry out the safeguards put in place to protect travelers from the threats among us. “They” are the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and its most visible set of employees, the agents responsible for security screenings at the nation’s commercial airports. But what criteria do Americans think TSA screening agents should meet? And do they make air travel safer? Only half of U.S. adults believe so, with 50% indicating that TSA security screening procedures make air travel safer and 48% believing the screenings are an effective deterrent to hijacking.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,234 adults surveyed online between March 12 and 17, 2014.

Those more likely to have been on the business end of a TSA screening within the past year are more likely to see it as both making air travel safer (46% among those who took no airline trips in the past year vs. 55% among those who took 1-5 and 57% among those who took over 5) and serving as an effective deterrent to hijacking (45% vs. 53% and 60%, respectively).

Screening the screeners
When it comes to who are acceptable candidates to become TSA agents, Americans appear flexible on qualifications but mindful of past misdeeds. Majorities feel it would be acceptable for someone who didn’t attend college (81%) or who has no previous law enforcement experience (63%) to become a TSA agent. On the other hand, majorities feel someone who was disciplined for misconduct in a previous job (76%), or who has been convicted of driving under the influence (72%) or of a non-violent crime (68%) would not be an acceptable candidate.

TABLE 1
AIRPLANE TRIPS IN PAST YEAR
“Approximately how many trips, if any, have you taken as a passenger on a commercial airplane in the last 12 months? Please consider connecting flights to be part of a single trip, but please count outgoing and returning flights separately.”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding.

• Frequent flyers are more comfortable with someone who has been convicted of a non-violent crime in such a position (32% among those who took no airline trips in the past year vs. 29% among those who took 1-5 and 45% among those who took over 5).

TABLE 2
TSA SCREENING IMPACT ON AIR TRAVEL SAFETY
by Airline Trips in Past Year
“Now we would like to ask you some questions about the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), whose agents are responsible for the security of the traveling public in the United States. TSA agents’ most visible role is in security screening procedures at commercial airports. How does security screening performed by TSA agents make you feel about air travel? I feel it makes air travel…”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Checking out the “pre-check”
When asked about their familiarity with the TSA’s new pre-check program, wherein travelers can go through a faster security screening (with shoes on and laptops tucked safely away in their bags, no less) if they pay an application fee and meet a series of applicant criteria, six in ten Americans (59%) indicate having at least heard of it, while over a third (36%) indicate being at least somewhat familiar with the program (including the 2% who say they’re already either participants or applicants).

TABLE 3
TSA SCREENING EFFECTIVENESS IN DETERRING HIJACKING
by Airline Trips in Past Year
“Which of the following best describes how effective or ineffective you think having TSA agents performing security screenings for commercial flights is as a deterrent to hijacking? Having TSA agents performing security screenings is …”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

• As one might expect, those who fly more are both more familiar with the program and more likely to be in the system already. Frequent flyers are more likely to indicate both that they’re very familiar with the program (4% among those who took no airline trips in the past year vs. 15% among those who took 1-5 vs. 29% among those who took over 5) and that they’re already either a participant or an applicant (1% and 2% vs. 13%, respectively).

TABLE 4a
ACCEPTABLE/UNACCEPTABLE FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE TO BECOME TSA AGENTS
Summary Table
“How acceptable, if at all, do you think it would be for the following people to become TSA agents?”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 4b
ACCEPTABLE FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE TO BECOME TSA AGENTS
“Acceptable” Summary by Airline Trips in Past Year, Generation & Gender
“How acceptable, if at all, do you think it would be for the following people to become TSA agents?”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 4c
UNACCEPTABLE FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE TO BECOME TSA AGENTS
“Unacceptable” Summary by Airline Trips in Past Year, Generation & Gender
“How acceptable, if at all, do you think it would be for the following people to become TSA agents?”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Strong majorities of Americans believe requirements for pre-check applicants should include:

• Passing a criminal background check (76%)
• Submitting to a fingerprint scan (73%)
• Holding U.S. citizenship (70%)
• An analysis of past travel habits (56%)
• Passing a drug test (37%)
• A check of family and social connections (35%).

TABLE 5
TSA PRE-CHECK FAMILIARITY
by Airline Trips in Past Year

“The TSA recently introduced a new pre-check program wherein travelers can go through a faster security screening (e.g., leave shoes on, leave laptop and bag of 3-oz liquids in carry-on) if they pay an application fee and meet a series of applicant criteria. Were you aware of this?”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

When asked what expedited airport screening might be worth to them (in the form of a one-time application fee), those who have traveled by airline in the past year indicate a willingness to pay roughly $50, on average. Among those who have taken over five trips in the past year that figure goes up to about $77. However, only two in ten air travelers (19%) and three in ten more frequent flyers (29%) would pay $85 or more; as it happens $85 is what the TSA charges currently.

TABLE 6
SHOULD BE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRECHECK PROGRAM
by Airline Trips in Past Year, Generation & Gender
“Which of the following, if any, should be requirements to qualify for the precheck program? Please select all that apply.”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

But regardless of what they know of it or would pay for it – what do Americans think of it? It turns out that U.S. adults have mixed feelings about this system, with things they like about it but some concerns as well.

On the one hand, a strong majority of Americans believe that separating out pre-screened passengers into a different line will make the screening process quicker for everyone (79%), while only three in ten believe the qualifications for the program infringe on applicants’ privacy (29%).

TABLE 7
AMOUNT WOULD PAY FOR EXPEDITED SCREENING
by Airline Trips in Past Year, Generation & Gender
“How much would you pay (in the form of a one-time application fee) in order to have expedited screening at the airport, including not having to take off your shoes and not having to remove items from your bag?”

Base: U.S. adults who have traveled on a commercial airline in the past year

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

But on the other hand, two-thirds are concerned that lessening security procedures for some passengers through the TSA’s pre-check program will result in missing potential threats (68%) and over half don’t think it’s fair to treat passengers differently from one another (56%).

• It’s worth noting that these two concerns are less pronounced among air travelers – particularly frequent ones:
• I am concerned that lessening security procedures for some passengers through the TSA’s pre-check program will result in missing potential threats (71% among those who took no airline trips in the past year vs. 65% among those who took 1-5 and 54% among those taking over 5).
• I don’t think it’s fair to treat passengers differently from one another (60% vs. 50% and 40%, respectively).

 TABLE 8a
Agree/Disagree with Air Travel Statements
Summary Table
“How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 8b
Agree with Air Travel Statements
“Agree” Summary by Airline Trips in Past Year, Generation & Gender
“How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?”

Base: U.S. adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Additionally, nearly nine in ten adults (89%) said they would not expect to be allowed onto the plane if they showed up for a flight without their ID, when in fact the TSA can accommodate those showing up sans identification – though they do advise building in extra time for such circumstances and highly recommend traveling with ID for expedited check-in.

Vicky Karantzavelou

Co-Founder & Chief Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | Website | + Posts

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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