Maersk Air – Charter Airline

Since 2008, the Transportation Security Administration has been pushing for stronger security requirements on small airports and private planes.  The reasoning behind these regulations was said to be wrapped up in terrorist concerns (naturally).

The TSA claimed that since security measures were getting so stellar in the commercial sector (yes, they actually stated this as a fact), they made private planes and smaller airports more vulnerable to an attack. Terrorists would, apparently, be so terrified of hijacking a commercial plane that they would have no choice but to commandeer a personal plane instead.

As usual, a very logical point from the TSA.

The plan called for every general aviation flight–personal plane used for business or pleasure–to be checked against all terrorist watch lists. Expensive new security programs would be required for at least 300 small airports across the nation.

It turns out that the Administration quickly realized the redundancy of their plan, and the idea for the new increased security measures–a costly and controversial mandate–has now been scrapped.

The decision has been attributed to a strong outcry from the general aviation industry as a whole. Pilots complained that the measures were unnecessary given the small risk of a terrorist attack, as well as the lack of trust in their decisions to carry safe people on their planes.

Of course, the TSA still maintains that a risk is very real and dangerous, and general aviation manager Brian Delauter says that a collaboration between the industry and the TSA in negotiating new measures will be necessary.