Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 20, 1991 TAG: 9103200565
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Although the war has ended, the airport is still required to maintain the additional security precautions that were imposed when war broke out.
The Federal Aviation Administration has given no indication of when the stringent security requirements will be relaxed, said Jacqueline Shuck, airport executive director.
In fact, Shuck said today that FAA officials apparently like the high level of security so much that they are considering making some of the precautions permanent.
She told the Regional Airport Commission that the federal agency has indicated that it may restrict concourse areas in airports only to ticketed passengers, even if the other security measures are reduced.
The additional security at the Roanoke Airport is costing about $2,400 a week now, although the weekly costs were substantially higher initially when war broke out in January. Shuck said the money is being spent for private security guards, overtime for airport police officers and other expenses for the stepped-up security because of the threat of hijacking and terrorism.
In an effort to reduce the cost, Shuck said most of the overtime expenses for airport police officers have been reduced recently.
During the first two weeks after the war began, off-duty Roanoke police officers were hired to supplement the airport's regular security force. But the airport switched to private security guards because there were concerns about problems in the scheduling of off-duty police officers.
Roanoke County Supervisor Bob Johnson wanted to know if the FAA has given any tentative timetable for easing the security precautions. "Do they indicate when there will be any abatement or will this be a new way of life?" he asked.
Although the federal agency has given no indication that there would be any change soon, Shuck said many big-city airports are pressuring for the precautions to be eased. She said some airports are losing a substantial amount of concession revenues because snack shops and other eating establishments are located in concourse areas.
Shuck said she hopes the FAA will review the safety precautions on an airport-by-airport basis and relax them in airports where the threat of terrorism is lower.
Johnson, commission vice chairman, asked if the airport can do anything to reduce the cost for the additional security. Shuck said she has tried to reduce the cost as much as possible by reducing overtime for security officers and other measures. "I believe we have done just about everything we can and still meet the security standards," she said.
Airports are required to pay the extra cost for the stepped-up security, but Shuck said there has been discussion by some airport officials about requesting the FAA to provide funds to help cover the costs.
She said the Roanoke airport is financing the cost by shifting funds within its budget.
by CNB