Dear president,

My name is Julia and I am currently a flight student looking to become a commercial pilot. Therefore, aviation security is a topic I care about deeply. Many people are comforted by the fact that the Transportation Security Administration is present at airport and performing security checks, but are they really doing what they are supposed to or just there for comfort. Last year, TSA was tested by putting mock explosives in places that are not always checked in luggage. 95% of the explosives and weapons made it through the system. Shortly after, the TSA administrator was reassigned because of serious problem throughout the system. However, letting one man go does not change the system.

I have personally taken a tour of the TSA system of a class B airport at General Mitchell International Airport, which is also known as Milwaukee Airport. I watched the scanners monitor and go through the luggage in a back room. I observed that they were not as thorough as they could have been, and I am sure that this is not unique just of the particular workers I observed. Obviously if others missed 95% of mock weapons in a security audit, they are not the only ones not doing a complete job.

I propose that the TSA department receives a makeover. Starting with the fact that luggage should be checked fully with no slack. Even if it takes longer for the passengers to go through security, I am sure they would be thankful if it saved their lives. Hiring more staff and increasing air marshals would also help protect the people. If people simply hear about an increase in airport security, there could be less of a chance that there is a terrorist attack. I believe this a topic that needs to be taken seriously. Is the reason there has not been another terrorist attack as bad as 9/11 because of security or because there has not been anyone that wild to commit one. When someone comes along who is that insane, I would like our aviation department to be well prepared.

Thank you, 

Julia Bucci