U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today urged the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to fulfill Glacier Park International Airport’s request for a third X-ray machine.
In a letter to TSA Acting Administrator Dr. Huban Gowadia, Daines noted the increased tourism in the Kalispell area and the need to ensure timely screening for passengers.
“GPI provides reliable air service for nearly 250,000 passengers per year, enabling economic growth and allowing thousands of tourists to visit Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley every year,” Daines wrote. “As you make decisions about resource allocations in the coming months, I urge you to accommodate GPI’s request.”
Daines’ letter is available to download HERE and below:
Dear Dr. Gowadia:
I am writing to urge the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to fulfill Glacier Park International (GPI) Airport’s request for a third X-ray machine to ensure timely screening of passengers’ checked baggage.
Air transportation is critical to communities around Montana. GPI provides reliable air service for nearly 250,000 passengers per year, enabling economic growth and allowing thousands of tourists to visit Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley every year. GPI has experienced five consecutive years of record increases in passenger traffic. I understand that due to increased airline capacity, airport officials expect an average of 482 passengers to use the airport during the morning block of flights for the upcoming summer season, an increase of 28 percent from last summer.
In 2015, I worked successfully with TSA to overcome challenges with contractor timeliness of security screening services at GPI. With growing passenger numbers, another bottleneck has occurred, with two machines increasingly unable to handle the workload without causing passenger delays.
As you make decisions about resource allocations in the coming months, I urge you to accommodate GPI’s request. I look forward to working with you to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of security services at GPI and all Montana airports.
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