As much as travelers complain about Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and airport inspections, there is a more dire problem — TSA executives are resigning from the agency in higher numbers than other agencies. This is setting off alarms in Washington.
A recent GAO report indicated higher than average attrition rates at TSA. Worse, they are leaving because they are dissatisfied with priorities and decisions of leaders.
… from fiscal 2005 to fiscal 2008, the rate of executives resigning, rather than retiring or transferring to other departments, was high, GAO said. In fiscal 2005, 20 of the 32 executives who left the agency, or 63 percent, quit; in fiscal 2008, that rate had fallen to four of 15 departures, or 27 percent. Of the 46 former TSA senior executives whom GAO interviewed, 14 said they left the agency because they were dissatisfied with the management style of top leaders, and 12 reported that they were dissatisfied with the priorities and decisions of those leaders.
Of course, TSA claims that these executive departures have no effect on their mission, however, anytime an organization faces high attrition rates, especially in a period of economic stress, it signals problems in the department.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
