TSA does not have its own program through which aviation security  training and technical assistance are formally provided to foreign aviation  security officials. TSA Data Identified That More than One-Third of Foreign Airports Complied with All Relevant ICAO Standards during Fiscal Year 2005, and the Remaining Airports Had Security Deficiencies

Of the 128 foreign airports TSA assessed during fiscal year 2005, TSA data  show that at the completion of these assessments, 46 (about 36 percent)  complied with all ICAO standards reviewed by TSA, while 82 (about 64  percent) did not meet at least one ICAO standard reviewed by TSA. Based on data provided by TSA, TSA inspectors identified 419  violations (security deficiencies) as a result of the 156 air carrier  inspections conducted during fiscal year 2005 where TSA identified at  least one security deficiency. While TSA has controls such as these in place for the foreign airport  assessment and air carrier inspection programs to ensure consistent  implementation and documentation, we identified four additional controls  that would strengthen TSA’s oversight of the foreign airport assessment  and air carrier inspection programs:  tracking the status of scheduled airport assessments and air carrier  inspections,    documenting foreign governments’ progress in addressing security  deficiencies,  tracking air carrier violations, and    measuring the impact of the foreign airport assessment and air carrier  inspection programs. For example, the findings database did not include information on the  action taken by TSA inspectors for all security violations that were  identified in the inspections database. TSA Is Taking Action to Address Some Challenges That Have Limited Its Ability to Conduct Foreign Airport Assessments and Air Carrier Inspections

TSA is taking action to address challenges—particularly the lack of  available inspectors and various host government concerns—that have  limited its ability to conduct foreign airport assessments and air carrier  inspections according to schedule. During October 2006, TSA began implementing a risk-based approach to  scheduling foreign airport assessments in order to focus its limited  inspector resources on higher- risk airports. Harmonization of Security Standards and Assessment and Inspection Processes Would Help TSA Address Host Government Concerns Regarding Resource Burdens

Harmonization of TSA, host government, and third party (e.g., European  Commission) security standards and the processes used to assess foreign  airports and air carriers would address concerns regarding the resource  burden placed on host governments as a result of frequent airport visits  conducted by TSA and others. While foreign government officials and  air carrier representatives acknowledged that TSA’s efforts have helped to  strengthen the security of U.S.-bound flights, there are several  opportunities for TSA to strengthen oversight of its foreign airport  assessment and air carrier inspection programs. It will be important for TSA to continue working with  foreign officials to address their concerns, such as sovereignty issues, in  order to continue assessing the security at foreign airports that service the  United States. Recommendations for Executive Action

To help strengthen oversight of TSA’s foreign airport assessment and air  carrier inspection programs, in our April 2007 report that contained  sensitive security information, we recommended that the Secretary of the  Department of Homeland Security direct the Assistant Secretary for the  Transportation Security Administration to take the following five actions:    develop controls to track the status of scheduled foreign airport  assessments from initiation through completion, including the reasons  why assessments were deferred or canceled;    develop controls to track the status of scheduled air carrier inspections  from initiation through completion, including the reasons why  inspections were deferred or canceled, as well as the final disposition  of any investigations that result from air carrier inspections;    develop a standard process for tracking and documenting host  governments’ progress in addressing security deficiencies identified  during TSA airport assessments;    develop outcome-oriented performance measures to evaluate the  impact TSA assistance has on improving foreign airport compliance  with ICAO standards; and    develop outcome-oriented performance measures to evaluate the  impact TSA assistance and enforcement actions have on improving air  carrier compliance with TSA security requirements.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) efforts to evaluate the security of foreign airports and air carriers that service the United States are of great importance, particularly considering that flights bound for the United States from foreign countries continue to be targets of coordinated terrorist activity, as demonstrated by the alleged August 2006 liquid explosives terrorist plot. For this review, GAO evaluated the results of foreign airport and air carrier evaluations; actions taken and assistance provided by TSA when security deficiencies were identified; TSA's oversight of its foreign airport and air carrier evaluation programs; and TSA's efforts to address challenges in conducting foreign airport and air carrier evaluations. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed foreign airport and air carrier evaluation results and interviewed TSA officials, foreign aviation security officials, and air carrier representatives.

What GAO Found

Of the 128 foreign airports that TSA assessed during fiscal year 2005, TSA found that about 36 percent complied with all applicable security standards, while about 64 percent did not comply with at least one standard. The security deficiencies identified by TSA at two foreign airports were such that the Secretary of Homeland Security notified the public that the overall security at these airports was ineffective. Of the 529 overseas air carrier inspections conducted during fiscal year 2005, for about 71 percent, TSA did not identify any security violations, and for about 29 percent, TSA identified at least one security violation. TSA took enforcement action--warning letters, correction letters, or monetary fines--for about 18 percent of the air carrier security violations. TSA addressed most of the remaining 82 percent of security violations through on-site consultation. TSA assisted foreign officials and air carrier representatives in addressing identified deficiencies through on-site consultation, recommendations for security improvements, and referrals for training and technical assistance. However, TSA's oversight of the foreign airport assessment and air carrier inspection programs could be strengthened. For example, TSA did not have adequate controls in place to track whether scheduled assessments and inspections were actually conducted, deferred, or canceled. TSA also did not always document foreign officials' progress in addressing security deficiencies identified by TSA. Further, TSA did not always track what enforcement actions were taken against air carriers with identified security deficiencies. TSA also did not have outcome-based performance measures to assess the impact of its assessment and inspection programs on the security of U.S.-bound flights. Without such controls, TSA may not have reasonable assurance that the foreign airport assessment and air carrier inspection programs are operating as intended. TSA is taking action to address challenges that have limited its ability to conduct foreign airport assessments and air carrier inspections, including a lack of available inspectors, concerns regarding the resource burden placed on host governments as a result of frequent airport visits by TSA and others, and host government concerns regarding sovereignty. In October 2006, TSA began implementing a risk-based approach to scheduling foreign airport assessments, which should allow TSA to focus its limited inspector resources on higher-risk airports. TSA is also exploring opportunities to conduct joint airport assessments with the European Commission and use the results of airport assessments conducted by the European Commission to potentially adjust the frequency of TSA airport visits.