2010: The Year of Living Dangerously?

Newark's Liberty International Airport on Sunday, January 3, after a security scare.

Image: Twitter

Are you a business traveler who feels safer going into an airport today than you did two weeks ago when a man on a U.S. bound international flight tried to blow it up with explosives in his underwear? Given the unbelievable mess at Newark International Airport on Sunday, the continued political dust-up over who should lead the Transportation Security Administration, and new security rules, you’re probably hoping your business keeps you on the ground.

Let’s take the above in order:

Just how bad was life in the main Continental terminal at Newark’s Liberty Airport? Take one look at the photo above and if you weren’t among the thousands of people who had to leave the terminal to then go through security screening again, be eternally thankful. What happened at Newark—someone reported seeing someone going the wrong way in the area where departing passengers leave the secure zone—could happen anywhere. The real problem was that airport officials in Newark couldn’t verify the report, couldn’t find the problem passenger, and therefore, had to stop any planes from departing and had to force passengers through the security checkpoints a second time. Is there a lesson here for business travelers? Other than avoiding traveling on high-traffic days like this one and keeping a good book handy at all times, not really. Are there lessons for the TSA and airport managers? Plenty.

Do business travelers care if TSA workers are able to unionize or subject their demands to collective bargaining? Doubtful. Are business travelers concerned that the TSA has leadership in place that can own up to mistakes and can clearly articulate what the travelers need to do to make their journeys smoother? Absolutely. Senator James DeMint is hell-bent on keeping unions out the TSA and he makes no apologies for holding up President Obama’s pick to head the agency. DeMint, a South Carolina Republican, certainly is within his senatorial right to take such a stand but suggesting, as his office has, that unions are worse than terrorists is a bit much. Today, DeMint said all he wanted was a “few hours of debate” on TSA nominee Erroll Southers. It’s doubtful that anything short of Southers wearing an “I hate unions” button will convince DeMint to vote for him, but Democratic leaders should call his bluff, schedule a hearing ASAP, and then take a vote on Southers. Some presidential campaigning on Southers’ behalf wouldn’t hurt either.

Finally, about those new security regulations …. Smart business travelers already have their routines down pat and increased security screenings shouldn’t affect this group too much. But if your travels take you in or out of one of several countries now clearly tagged as problems or if you happen to hold a passport from one of these countries, be prepared to be patient. “If your itinerary includes any of these states, expect several layers of intrusive security, including inane questioning, obsessive attention to your carry-on and checked bags and pat-downs or other physical inspections of your person,” Portfolio.com Seat 2B columnist Joe Brancatelli informed readers to his JoeSentMe site over the weekend. “Which nations are involved? Well, why would you expect the TSA to tell you? But we can infer these states, at least, are targeted: Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.”

January is traditionally a slow period for all travel, business or otherwise. So with any luck, some of the current insanity will ease by the time you head out on your next business trip. But when you do hit the road again, build in some extra travel time, leave unnecessary items at home, and try not to get angry if you get asked what seem like stupid questions in the security line.