On Monday Feb. 19, 2017, there was a major security issue at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Eleven passengers passed through an unattended security Pre-Check point early in the morning. The incident was reported nearly two hours later, but the passengers were not able to be located.

Three of the passengers set off the metal detector, which caused even more alarm. The TSA, Transportation Security Administration, checked various flights but had no luck on locating the passengers. Later, three of the eleven who passed through the unattended checkpoint were identified through video surveillance.

When those three identified passengers landed in California, they were spotted and further detected. The TSA at the JFK airport said, “Those are the three we located in San Francisco when they landed. We didn’t need to find the other eight because they had been screened by canine and didn’t alarm, so no need for further screening.”

This situation infuriated passengers and various airport employees, as it could have led to a major safety concern. Alyssa Farrell, senior, said, “If I were in that situation, I would have completely panicked. I trust the system because of all the precautions I go through when I travel, but to know that mistakes like these happen is unsettling and makes it hard to trust the people you are getting on a plane with.”

Airport safety concerns are floating over many heads as the airports will increase in activity with many traveling over the spring break season. However, there are security issues that occur in airports all the time; most just aren’t heard of. Brynn Hancock, senior, said, “I think airport security is fine the way it is. Some airports are sketchy and don’t secure the safety that you should feel, but I haven’t had any issues at any of the airports that I have been to.”