On August 31, 2016, U.S. airlines began offering  regularly scheduled commercial flights to Cuba. TSA Inspections of Air Carriers Did Not Always Occur at the Established Frequency

Our analysis of TSA air carrier inspection data from fiscal years 2012  through 2016—a period in which public charter flights accounted for  nearly all commercial air traffic between the United States and Cuba— revealed that TSA did not always inspect air carriers operating U.S.- bound flights from Cuba each fiscal year at frequencies established in  TSA’s standard operating procedures. However, our analysis of TSA inspection  data during fiscal years 2012 through 2016 identified that among the air  carriers we selected for our analysis, TSA conducted little over half of the  required inspections in Cuba at the frequency established in its standard  operating procedures. These steps can better  position TSA to meet its goal of inspecting all air carriers operating U.S.- bound public charter flights from Cuba to the United States at least once  per year—as established in its standard operating procedures—and help  them ensure that these air carriers are implementing TSA security  requirements. Most Inspections Showed Air Carriers Fully Implemented All TSA Security Requirements and Cuban Personnel Continue to Oversee Security Measures for Each U.S.-bound Flight

		Most Inspections Showed Air Carriers Fully Implemented All TSA Security Requirements

TSA’s air carrier inspection results show that, among the air carriers  operating U.S.-bound scheduled commercial and public charter flights  from Cuba that TSA inspected in fiscal years 2016 and 2017, more than  two-thirds of these inspections resulted in no findings. A result of no  findings means that TSA inspectors determined that air carriers operating  these flights fully implemented all requirements in their TSA-approved  security program at the time of inspection. TSA subsequently closed each  finding after the respective air carriers took corrective actions. Recommendations for Executive Action

We are making the following recommendation to TSA:
The Administrator of TSA should instruct the Office of Global  Strategies to improve TSA’s ability to identify all public charter  operations requiring inspection in Cuba and develop and implement a  tool that corroborates and validates flight schedule data to more  reliably track air carriers’ public charter operations between the United  States and Cuba. DHS concurred  with our recommendation in the report. The Department of State did not  comment on the report. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report examines: (1) the extent to which the Transportation Security  Administration (TSA) complied with its standard operating procedures  (SOP) when assessing aviation security at Cuban airports in fiscal years  2012 through 2017, 2) the results of TSA’s Cuban airport assessments in  fiscal years 2012 through 2017 and how these results compare to those  for airports in the Caribbean region, and 3) the results of TSA’s air carrier  inspections for Cuba in fiscal years 2016—when commercial scheduled  air service between the U.S. and Cuba resumed—and 2017. This report is a public version of a prior sensitive report that we provided  to you in May 2018. This public report also omits certain  information that TSA deemed to be sensitive related to the specific  number of airport assessments and air carrier inspections performed by  TSA in Cuba, results of those assessments and inspections, and TSA’s  risk-based approach in identifying U.S.-bound public charter operations  from Cuba, among others. To determine the extent to which TSA followed its standard operating  procedures when assessing aviation security in Cuba in fiscal years 2012  through 2017, we examined documentation for each of the foreign airport  assessments conducted during the entire period and all air carrier  inspections conducted in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 in Cuba for  completeness and errors.
Why GAO Did This Study

On August 31, 2016, as part of a shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, air carriers resumed scheduled commercial flights between the United States and Cuba, a route previously only open to public and private charter carrier operations. In June 2017, travel restrictions were revised to require U.S. travelers going to Cuba to travel as part of a licensed group. TSA, the agency responsible for securing the nation's civil aviation system, assesses Cuban airports and inspects air carriers operating U.S-bound flights to ensure they have effective security measures in place.
GAO was asked to review TSA's assessments of Cuban aviation security. This report examines (1) the extent to which TSA followed its standard operating procedures when assessing aviation security at Cuban airports in fiscal years 2012 through 2017; (2) the results of TSA's Cuban airport assessments in fiscal years 2012 through 2017; and (3) the results of TSA's air carrier inspections for Cuba in fiscal years 2016—when commercial scheduled air service between the United States and Cuba resumed—and 2017. GAO reviewed TSA policies and procedures, observed TSA air carrier inspections in Cuba, and compared TSA data on assessments and inspections to data from the Department of Transportation.

What GAO Found

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) generally followed its standard operating procedures when documenting and resolving findings from its foreign airport assessments and air carrier inspections at Cuban airports in fiscal years 2012 through 2017. However, TSA did not perform all the required inspections of air carriers operating U.S.-bound public charter flights from Cuba. Specifically, GAO found that for the five air carriers selected for analysis, TSA performed approximately half of air carrier inspections in Cuba at the frequency established in its standard operating procedures in fiscal years 2012 through 2016. Of the inspections TSA did not perform, over half were not performed because TSA was not able to identify or reliably track U.S.-bound public charter operations from Cuba. Improving TSA's ability to identify public charters requiring inspection in Cuba and implementing a tool it is currently developing that more reliably tracks air carrier operations would better position TSA to meet its goal of inspecting all air carriers operating U.S.-bound public charter flights from Cuba at the frequency established in its standard operating procedures.
Several of the Cuban airports TSA assessed in fiscal years 2012 through 2017 were fully compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization Standards at the time of assessment. The remaining airport assessments reported instances of noncompliance within the five categories: access control, quality control, aircraft and inflight security, passenger and baggage screening, and fencing.
The majority of air carrier inspections TSA performed for Cuba in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 resulted in no findings, meaning that TSA determined air carriers operating these flights fully implemented all requirements in their TSA-approved security program at the time of inspection. The remaining inspections resulted in findings, which TSA closed after air carriers took corrective action.
This is a public version of a sensitive report issued in May 2018. Information that TSA deemed to be sensitive is omitted from this report.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that TSA improve its ability to identify all public charters requiring inspection in Cuba and develop and implement a tool that more reliably tracks public charter operations between the United States and Cuba. TSA concurred with our recommendation.