More federal screeners will be needed at McCarran by 2005

Jace Radke

Thursday, June 24, 2004 | 9:15 a.m.

McCarran International Airport has enough federal screeners to man seven new security checkpoints expected to come on line next month, but the airport will need additional screeners by early 2005 at the latest.

"It's an ongoing issue for us," said Clark County Deputy Director of Aviation Rosemary Vassiliadis. "McCarran is not in a rebound mode. We're in a growth mode and we're going to need more screeners."

The Transportation Security Administration added 81 screeners to McCarran in May bringing the airport's total to 823 screeners, but by January the third D-Gate wing is scheduled to be operating, adding 10 gates to the airport.

Jim Blair, TSA security director at McCarran, said that the airport's current screener compliment is enough to make sure that all 32 of its screening stations, including the seven new ones for the C and D Gates, can operate during peak times.

"Right now we don't need all the checkpoints open all the time, but we're going to need them soon," said Blair, who is scheduling his screeners around peak travel times to stretch his personnel as much as possible. "We're going to have to go back and ask for more screeners."

McCarran officials and the Nevada Congressional delegation have long cited to the TSA the peak-and-valley nature of travelers through McCarran and the need for additional screeners. About 92 percent of the airport's 36 million passengers pass through screening at McCarran because they are starting or ending a flight at the airport.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., has placed a hold on the nomination of the new director of the Transportation Security Administration because of questions he has about the process used to allocate screeners to the nation's airports.

Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix has about 200 more screeners than McCarran despite having fewer people who pass through security screening.

Ensign spokesman Jack Finn said that the TSA has not contacted Ensign, and that the senator will continue to hold up Rear Adm. David Stone's nomination until he is satisfied that the security lines at McCarran are at a manageable level.

Earlier this year waits to pass through security checkpoints at McCarran were as long as four hours at peak times.