Atlanta
- The national media reported today that the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) inadvertently released online a highly-classified document,
which specifically delineates some of the most sensitive security procedures to
be followed by TSA supervisors in the screening of airline passengers and
government employees.
The
entire membership of the ‘Whistleblowing Airline Employees Association’ share
our collective outrage with our special interests, the millions who travel by
commercial air and those dedicated safety professionals who serve them daily,
the many airline aircrew and employees, the federal air marshal service, FAA
employees, and others.
This
egregious act of negligence by those in the upper-echelons of the Department of
Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration must be held
accountable for the most blatant breach of security since 9/11. This irresponsible act is inexcusable for an
agency responsible for the security of the homeland citizens.
While
President Obama expresses concern for collateral damage and death to citizens
in global combat areas, it is incumbent upon his good office to ensure the same
for the millions who travel by commercial air each day in this country. We must call upon our president to launch an
intensive investigation concerning this national security breach.
Given
President Obama’s campaign rhetoric concerning a greater openness of
government, and in light of the enormity of this breach of public trust concerning
aviation security, it is hoped that congress will launch an investigation into
this matter immediately.
Additionally,
in light of his campaign promise regarding enhanced protection for federal
whistleblowers, coupled with the airline captains, federal air marshals and
other commercial aviation safety and security personnel who were terminated the
past several years for attempting to expose
frailties in the present security systems, it is hoped that these
individual cases will be publicly reviewed since these aviation safety and security
professionals were attempting to protect these same passengers by their
revelations.
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Contact: Captain Dan Hanley, a former United Airlines
B-777 Captain federal whistleblower, serves as public spokesperson for the ‘Whistleblowing
Airline Employees Association’. He may
be reached at 678-463-4390 or danielhanley@bellsouth.net.
The Whistleblowing Airline Employees
Association is a national grassroots coalition of airline employees from all
U.S. airlines whose safety and security goals are commensurate with those of
the Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, and the
Federal Aviation Administration mission statements as prescribed on their
websites.
Affiliates
In support of our mission, the association
has affiliated with numerous individuals and U.S./international safety, security,
and whistleblowing organizations as listed below:
