U.S. airline pilots learned today that they'll be exempt from the invasive x-ray screening and pat-downs that have sparked a revolt across the country.
In a statement, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced new procedures that it says will streamline airport security.
Pilots in uniform acting on airline business will be allowed to pass through airport security by showing two photo IDs. The identification will be cross-checked against a flight crew database.
"Allowing these uniformed pilots, whose identity has been verified, to go through expedited screening at the checkpoint just makes for smart security and an efficient use of our resources," TSA Administrator John Pistole said in a statement.
The decision comes after pilots' unions had called on members to avoid going through the advanced x-ray screeners that produce full-body images, and they had also expressed concerns about enhanced pat-downs. A handful of pilots have said they were so traumatized by the searches that they couldn't perform their duties, though critics have accused them of making such claims to push a political agenda.
source:
ABC News
Still no relief for cabin crew.