TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Transportation Security Administration said its employees did not follow standard procedures when a man made it through a checkpoint with box cutters onto a flight to Tampa.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the “unruly” passenger ended up causing an emergency when the crew found him with the box cutter, causing the flight to be diverted to Atlanta.
He was then taken into custody by Atlanta police and the FBI. The TSA said authorities also found a second box cutter in his carry-on luggage.
A statement given to 8 On Your Side said the traveler went through the TSA checkpoint at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport at around 5:30 p.m. Friday.
When he put his two backpacks and loose items into a bin for screening, the CT technology did not detect the box cutters. According to the TSA, a review of the incident found that the machine’s image review abilities “were not fully” used by the CT operator.
Even so, the man’s property was selected for further search. During the search, TSA employees found one box cutter.
“The visible blades were removed from the box cutter and provided back to the passenger,” the statement said. “This is contrary to standard operating procedure which requires these items to be placed in checked bags or voluntarily abandoned. The backpack containing the other box cutter, and the remainder of the traveler’s property, was screened for explosives, but the box cutter was not discovered.”
The TSA said the employees were put into a training status for “remediation on CT image review and physical search procedures.”
Shift briefs were also done on all CVG and State of Kentucky employees to remind them on the proper procedures concerning banned items.
