Five TSA Workers Fired and 38 Suspended in Florida

Things are not looking good for TSA workers in Florida. Five Transportation Security Administration workers were fired and another 38 suspended from Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. An internal investigation found that they did not conduct random screenings for a two-month period of time last year.

This action is taking a huge hit at the Southwest Florida TSA crew and it is one of the largest disciplinary actions ever taken towards the TSA. The 43 disciplined screeners and supervisors represent 15 percent of the TSA workers at the airport in Fort Myers.

The workers received their punishment on Friday. TSA screeners from other airports have been filling in.

TSA spokesperson David Castelveter told the The News Press that 400 passengers who underwent routine screening did not receive additional random checks during a two-month period in 2011. Additional random checks are part of screening protocol.

Castelveter noted that every passengers was screened at least once.

"It's the random secondary (check) that did not happen," he said. "At no time was a traveler's safety at risk and there was no impact on flight operations."

An employee at the airport reported one violation during the time which led the TSA to a full investigation in which they found additional instances of the negligent behavior.

Florida representative John Mica, R-Winter Park, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, called the issue a "meltdown" and said: "The significant security system failure at this Florida airport once again highlights the need to get TSA out of the human resources business and back into the nation's security business."

The Huffingtom Post reported that TSA punishments have occurred before. In December, 12 officers were fired from Charlotte Douglas International Airport for botching bag inspections. In January, eight Newark Liberty International Airport agents were suspended for sleeping on the job. In September 2011, 28 bag screeners were fired from Honolulu International Airport for failing to screen checked bags for explosives.