Someone likes Kip

TSA director Kip Hawley doesn’t get a lot of pats on the back in the blogosphere, but here’s one on the seventh anniversary of 9/11::

But the fact remains that much progress has been made.  Kip Hawley, the Assistant Secretary of DHS in charge of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), has done a remarkable job in helping move us in the right direction.  One of the most important has been to realize that what works at one airport may not necessarily work at another, and that a truly secure system has to include input from the airport staff involved.  In an important way, this also adds to the element of uncertainty that underlies the system, for if it is too predictable the terrorists have a better chance to figure out how to beat it.

Security is always a top priority with airport directors.  I’d say that in my time here at least 75 percent of all the conversations I’ve had with directors have included some mention of security.  There are a lot of good ideas in the airport community and today’s TSA has been much more open to them.  In a few months there will be a new administration and new leadership at TSA.  I hope that those new leaders will be able to build on what has been accomplished over these past seven years:  work closely with the airport community, move forward with new technologies (these new laptop bags, for example, as well as inline baggage systems), and commit to a risk management approach that keeps us safe and allows the aviation system to perform its basic function. -  Airport Check-In