Photo Credit: John Pistole
John Pistole was the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration from 2010 until 2014. He is currently president of Anderson University in Indiana.
As the former administrator of the TSA, I believe strongly that security should never be exchanged in the name of convenience. I'm concerned this may be happening with the "hop-on" scheduled charter carrier JSX. Although the carrier claims its procedures are "every bit as thorough" as standard airport screening, with the FAA and TSA taking a close look at JSX and companies like it, it appears there is more to the story.
As I know from personal experience leading the TSA and at the FBI, where I served as the deputy director, the current measures taken and enforced to oversee airport and airline security are absolutely critical. The TSA ensures the safety of an average of over 2 million passengers daily; in 2022 alone, TSA officers stopped more than 6,500 firearms, 88% of which were loaded, from making it through checkpoints. In short, the TSA's work protects Americans as they travel. And does so successfully.
It appears JSX may be exploiting the government's security regulatory procedures by implementing a business plan for which the policymakers at the FAA and TSA didn't plan. Their "airport-less air travel" experience, which they market directly to the public, ensures tens of thousands of passengers per year are not screened by the TSA. JSX started small -- in 2016, they operated one route and a handful of aircraft -- but they have rapidly grown. JSX reported flying over 30,000 times in 2022, a step up from the 21,000 flights they completed in 2021. In 2023, they are set to run 50,000 flights. These increased numbers create additional risk and necessitate a more thorough security plan.
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Alex Wilcox, CEO and co-founder of JSX, responds.
It's encouraging that the TSA and FAA are reviewing the possible risks JSX may pose to the traveling public. For its part, the FAA noted that the rapid increase in frequency and complexity of public charter flights could threaten the public if left unchecked. As stated in a public filing, the FAA intends to amend the rules surrounding public charter operations, which "appear to be offered to the public as essentially indistinguishable from flights conducted by air carriers as supplemental or domestic operations."
If public charter flights are "essentially indistinguishable" from the larger, more oft-used commercial airlines, why should they play by a different set of rules? The average flyer might not be aware of these risks to which they and their family may be exposed.
Given the rapid increase in popularity, JSX should face the same rigorous security standards other commercial carriers are required to follow. As the company continues to grow by leaps and bounds, commensurate scrutiny is clearly warranted.
If 9/11 taught us anything, it's that Americans need to know that everything is being done to protect their flight. Let's continue mitigating risks in a responsible way for all air travelers.