Summary

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed changes made to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Air Carrier Standard Security Program following a terrorist airline bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988.

GAO found that: (1) despite additional security measures imposed following the bombing, FAA could not ensure that airlines at designated high-risk foreign airports were properly following required procedures; (2) FAA found deficiencies in the way airline security personnel were carrying out extra security measures; (3) FAA has not established minimum training requirements and standards for extra security measures required at high-risk foreign airports; and (4) FAA did not routinely evaluate formal airline security training at foreign airports, but began examining the training and testing of host government security personnel who screen passengers and baggage at high-risk airports.