Dec 8, 2001 

The United States Department of Transportation has placed safety and security ahead of checking on-time flights and passenger service.

The terrorist attacks of September forced the government to radically overhaul efforts to make airports and airlines safer, officials said.

Even before Congress created a new transportation security administration with broad powers, the Federal Aviation Administration began evacuating terminals and delaying flights for security reasons.

Between October 30 and November 28, the FAA evacuated 21 terminals or concourses, delaying 864 flights and canceling 232 others according to agency statistics.

Passengers on 190 other flights had to go through security checkpoints again because they were improperly screened the first time round.

"Perhaps prior to September 11, there would have been a lot of complaining, whereas today, everybody knows why we're doing it," said Monte Belger, acting FAA deputy administrator.

DOT officials say they are rewriting the rules at an agency that had the dual roles of being both an enforcer and an encourager of air travel.

By February 17 next year, DOT is to take over airport security from the airlines.

By December 31, 2002, the agency is to have in place a system to screen all checked baggage by explosive detection machines.

Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta has ordered government agents to ensure that passengers and carry-on luggage are properly screened.

When a passenger carried knives and a stun gun past a checkpoint at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on November 3, Mineta ordered United Airlines to retrain all screeners there and summoned airline executives to Washington.

Almost two weeks later, Atlanta Airport was evacuated and closed for four hours after a passenger ran past a security checkpoint.

Mineta said recently that the department likely would miss the new law's deadline for inspecting all checked luggage. He said there weren't enough employees, bomb-sniffing dogs and explosive-detection machines to do the job.