McCarran beefs up security

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2001 | 9:12 a.m.

McCarran International Airport administrators hope that 27 new security guards, who will patrol terminals at McCarran, will increase passengers' comfort levels and, ultimately, encourage more people to fly.

Clark County commissioners on Tuesday agreed to invest $796,750 to beef up airport security during the next year.

The expense represents only a fraction of the $4 million in revenues the airport lost last month, an outcome of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which have kept people from flying.

Aviation Director Randy Walker assured the board that extensive security measures are in place and that McCarran is rebounding faster than other large airports throughout the nation.

"Little by little, it's improving," Walker said.

Because airlines' passenger counts are considered confidential, the airport's most reliable gauge of tourist traffic are taxi pick-ups. Cabs picked up 60,000 fewer rides last month than they did in September 2000.

Walker said the airport's own estimates of the number of passengers who pass through the facility increased in the weeks after the attacks. For example, in the week ending Sept. 18 passenger levels were 36 percent of normal; in the week ending Oct. 9 they were 91 percent of normal, airport reports show.

The airport and its businesses lost $4.2 million in September, according to revenue reports. Taking the biggest hit were transportation concessions, which lost $635,000; slot concessions, $648,000 and parking concessions, $390,000.

"Obviously, if we continue to lose $5 million a month over an extended period of time we'd have to make some significant changes," Walker said.

Expenditure reports from September show the county's Department of Aviation and Metro Police each spent $50,000 in overtime pay, $100,000 was spent on reviewing every airport employee's background and the reissuing of badges, and $4,000 was spent on new signs.

Walker said "war on terrorism" liability insurance jumped $600,000 a year to $2.3 million after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We don't have much of an option, that's what's happening in the marketplace," Walker said. "We'll continue to shop around."

Walker outlined security measures being taken by the airport. The short-term parking lot remains closed, but valet parking on the third floor of the silver garage is open. Also, passengers are limited to one carry-on.