Kennedy Airport security gaps

By now, you all have heard of Steven Slater who quit his job in a rather dramatic fashion. After cussing out a supposedly abusive passenger, he pulled the ejection slide, grabbed two beers and his carryon and leapt into infamy.

While the media focuses on whether or not his antics where driven by abuse, another story is going largely unnoticed. How did Mr. Slater jump from an airliner in a major airport and manage to get all the way back home (he was arrested by police at his residence)?

According to the New York Daily News, Slater managed to drag to carry on bags around security zones. He caught an AirTrain to his car and drove home. JetBlue waited 25 minutes to alert the Port Authority and the call was from corporate headquarters, not the aircrew.

The story emphasizes the glaring gaps in the TSA. Everything they do is focused on screening passengers. Very little is done to look at gaps in security along the flightline, maintenance facilities, and with service providers (such as food vendors and refueling vehicles). The greatest weakness is the aircraft itself, not the passengers. The TSA is a political answer to a very difficult problem.

As I type this, Secretay Napolitano is announcing a bill that will provide another 1,000 Border Patrol agents. The increase is to address illegal immigrants. The press secretary is standing right next to her correcting mistakes (is it me or does she look doped-up?). I don't see Secretary Clinton anywhere announcing any initiatives to create economic prosperity on the Southern side of the border.