GAO encourages TSA to better track public flights between US, Cuba

Assessing the security efforts of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in regards to Cuba-bound U.S. flights, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined that more could have been done to track and inspect these flights.

Their investigation, which was carried out in fiscal years 2012 through 2017, found that the TSA did not inspect all the required aircraft from Cuba within a given timeframe, largely because they could not track with any reliability public charter flights from the island nation. As such, they recommended that the TSA create a specific tool to track public charter operations between the United States and Cuba, so those requiring inspection in Cuba could be better identified.

Up until now, with regards to Cuba, the TSA has followed its standard procedures. However, GAO found that, of five air carriers analyzed, the TSA performed only about half of its inspections in Cuba that those standard operating procedures demand. This was not all on the TSA, though. Assessments of the Cuban airports themselves found several instances of lack of access control, quality control, aircraft and inflight security, passenger and baggage screening, and fencing, though others were fully compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization Standards.