Security Breach At O'Hare

It seems that the security at our airports has not improved, but deteriorated since 9/11. Perhaps it's just that we pay more attention now, but either way the lapses in security are getting out of hand.

There have been several security breaches at O'Hare lately, but the more disturbing part is the refusal to launch adequate investigations. O'Hare has also been sweeping them under the rug in an effort to hide the problems.

CBS:

The 2 Investigators have learned that 47 more employee access badges are missing, bringing the total we've discovered to 3,807 – the biggest security failure involving access badges ever to be exposed.

"Doesn't surprise me,” said Marcia Pinkston. “I am surprised you didn't find more."

Airport employees are allowed to go through a back gate. All they have to do is show their access badge. They are not searched.

Nearly 4,000 access badges have vanished, and they will allow any scumbag into secured areas at the airport without a security check.

One woman, who's badge was stolen, complained about the security at O'Hare and was fired for it.

The latest missing badges belong to employees of Mesa Airlines, which operates flights for United Express. One of them belonged to Pinkston, who worked as a flight attendant.

She says she was fired for complaining about security. She says the airline never asked her to return her access badge and for months she could have used it to gain access to airplanes.

"Just anybody can go in there,” she said.

Last month, Pinkston told CBS 2 about other security failures, including employees sharing security codes or "piggybacking" by following someone through open doors to gain access to secure areas.

At the time, The Transportation Security Administration vowed to investigate.

But Pinkston tells CBS 2 that no one from TSA has contacted her even after she made allegations about piggybacking and code sharing.

Thanks to the CBS 2 investigation, the Department of Aviation fined Mesa Airlines $47,000 because of the missing badges. That’s the first time any airline has been fined for this issue. The TSA has refused to say why they have not interviewed our whistleblower, Marcia Pinkston.

A while back I wrote about major security breaches at the airport in Denver. They allowed 90% of all simulated weapons through security ... including bombs.