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A shocking new report coming from right inside the industry is raising questions about the safety of airline food vendors, giving pause to consider yet another way terrorists can infiltrate the airlines.
Unite Here! is a labor group that represents almost 12,000 airline catering workers in the United States. It compiled the reporter after talking to its own union members.
What it found was startling.
• Airline catering trucks have been left parked on public streets or in parking lots with gates open, especially at off-airport properties.
• Only 33 percent of catering employees who responded to the survey reported that security is tight in their kitchens and security rules are always followed.
• 24 percent of survey respondents said an unauthorized person could enter their kitchen, and 24 percent said a foreign object could be added to a cart destined for a plane.
The Transportation Security Administration is aware of the report, and offered this statement to Dallas' NBC-TV local affiliate.
"TSA is aware of the report. The security of airline catering is a top priority for our agency. The TSA has a rigorous inspection and testing program that continuously ensures compliance with all applicable TSA regulations. The agency conducts inspections on a regular basis in order to enhance aviation security and ensure the safety of the traveling public.TSA employs multiple layers of security to protect the traveling public. On board aircraft, these layers include reinforced cockpit doors, Federal Air Marshals, armed pilots and a vigilant public, as well as many others, both seen and unseen."
Unite Here! is making several recommendations to TSA, asking for full supply chain security requirements, including a TSA presence in any kitchen where meals are prepared for planes; extending licensing requirements to sub-contractors of airline catering companies; and incentives to companies for preparing meals on secure airport grounds instead of off-airport sites, among others.
To read the full report, click here.
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