Airport Security Scrutinized after Stowaway Incident .. Gee, Do you Think So?

The 15-year-old boy who stowed away in the wheel well of a plane flying from California to Hawaii is prompting an airport security review in San Jose and across the rest of the country. 

The boy climbed a fence at San Jose International Airport about 1 a.m. Sunday and hid in the Hawaiian Airlines plane until it took off about 8 a.m., meaning he went undetected for seven hours.

"We are looking at what we need to improve so that what happened on Sunday will not occur again," said Rosemary Barnes, the airport's spokeswoman. 

Several House members had already asked the Government Accountability Office on Feb. 24 to review airport perimeter security, which gained more attention from the stowaway. 

"While we have made significant progress in airport security since 9/11, this latest incident near my congressional district in the Bay Area raises serious concerns affecting passenger safety," said Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and a member of the Homeland Security subcommittee on transportation security, who joined the request after the stowaway incident.

Airports determine their perimeter security in coordination with the Transportation Security Administration. Typically, airport workers are trained to confront anyone in secure areas without a security badge, and police and civilian guards patrol the grounds. Video surveillance and motion sensors are also common, if not universal. 

Chris Bidwell, vice president for security at Airports Council International-North America, said airports routinely tweak their operations as they learn of threats. Meanwhile, local officials are waiting to learn more about the stowaway incident.

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