Airports Form Consortium to Work with TSA on Biometrics

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 2, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to further bolster airport security, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and a number of representatives from key airports across the country are working to create, through a detailed Concept of Operations, a biometric-based solution for the next generation of aviation worker credentialing and access control. The effort -- known as the Biometric Airport Security Identification Consortium (BASIC) -- is aimed at utilizing the experience and expertise of the airport community to ensure that ongoing efforts to deploy biometric-based systems in airports come to fruition as quickly as possible in a manner that does not disrupt airport operations or diminish security.

Along those lines, participating airports have identified several key principles that must be part of future biometric-based credentialing and access control systems, including:

-- Safeguards on local control and issuance of credentials,

-- Leveraging of existing capital investments and resources,

-- Open architecture and local determination of qualified vendors, and

-- Phased implementation that migrates over time.

“Airports have a robust history of credentialing and access control experience,” explained AAAE President Chip Barclay. “In addition, according to a recent survey conducted of AAAE airport members, a significant number of airports have already implemented biometric-based systems at their facilities. The goal of the BASIC working group is to take the pieces of the puzzle that already exist and build on the necessary components for the next generation of credentialing and access control in such a way that make sense for airports.”

Airport operators participating in BASIC include:

-- Port of Portland/Portland International Airport

-- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

-- Denver International Airport

-- San Francisco International Airport

-- Washington Dulles International Airport

-- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

-- Jacksonville International Airport

-- Miami International Airport

-- San Diego International Airport

-- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

-- Boston Logan International Airport

-- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Airport participation in BASIC continues to grow and is open to all commercial-service airport representatives as well as aviation industry association representatives.

NOTE TO EDITORS: A fact sheet on BASIC is available at: http://www.aaae.org/_pdf/_secpdf/basicfs_apr08.pdf

ABOUT AAAE: Founded in 1928, AAAE (www.aaae.org) is the world’s largest professional organization representing the people who work at public-use airports. AAAE’s 5,000-plus members represent some 850 airports and hundreds of companies that support the airport industry.

CONTACT: Sean Broderick, 703-824-0500, x. 126