USA Today reports that neglect on behalf of the Transportation Security Administration has left airplanes that are serviced in foreign repair shops vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Almost four years ago, the TSA was mandated by Congress to write security regulations for these repair stations, but failed to do so. There is concern that, because many of these overseas hubs are not within the boundaries of secure airports, there is lack of oversight.
This is not the first controversy surrounding these stations. Mother Jones reported in our July/August 2006 issue, that, in 2005, due to a cash-strapped airline industry, airline maintenance was outsourced overseas and because simultaneously, the FAA faced a massive budget cut and began outsourcing its inspection—shaving its oversight crew by more than 250—airline travel took a safety hit. It was an accident (or quite a few) waiting to happen. Read the full article here.
