sunshine05
9th June 2011, 07:00 PM
Airport Fence Raises Concerns From Business Owners
UPDATED: 6:27 pm MDT June 9, 2011
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- A handful of Grand Junction business owners say a new security fence is going to create more problems than it's going to solve. They say the fence is going to block their customers from having direct access to their business.
Ron Rouse owns and operates Colorado Airlines. In his plane, he transports a 100 oil and gas workers a week to job sites in neighboring states. He's one of a handful of business owners dreading the completion of the fence.
"What the airport's done is just dreamed up their own security program which is making it really hard, not only on me, but on all the tenants in the general aviation area," says Rouse.
Rouse fears the gate is just going to lead to flight delays and unhappy customers once it's completed. The gate will only allow access to anyone with TSA clearance. Rouse says he'll only be able to escort five people at a time from the gate all the way to his business. With 15 to 20 passengers per flight, he says it just doesn't make sense.
"We'd have to do that for the crews that are coming in as well as going out," says Rouse.
When the fencing project started, the airport told us it was to increase security. Rouse says the airport is telling him it's to keep up with TSA mandates.
"Montrose [airport] doesn't have this and they're under the same TSA [rules.] It's just that for some reason, the airport manager decided that this is the way to go," says Rouse.
We contacted TSA and asked them about the fence. They told us airports are required to secure their properties. How they do it, is up to them. They just have to have the plan approved by TSA.
Rouse says the airport is giving businesses like his a chance to make things right. The airport has told Rouse and the others to come up with a better plan, and get it approved by the TSA.
We tried getting a hold of the airport for comment, but they didn't return our calls.
http://www.kjct8.com/news/28190073/detail.html
UPDATED: 6:27 pm MDT June 9, 2011
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- A handful of Grand Junction business owners say a new security fence is going to create more problems than it's going to solve. They say the fence is going to block their customers from having direct access to their business.
Ron Rouse owns and operates Colorado Airlines. In his plane, he transports a 100 oil and gas workers a week to job sites in neighboring states. He's one of a handful of business owners dreading the completion of the fence.
"What the airport's done is just dreamed up their own security program which is making it really hard, not only on me, but on all the tenants in the general aviation area," says Rouse.
Rouse fears the gate is just going to lead to flight delays and unhappy customers once it's completed. The gate will only allow access to anyone with TSA clearance. Rouse says he'll only be able to escort five people at a time from the gate all the way to his business. With 15 to 20 passengers per flight, he says it just doesn't make sense.
"We'd have to do that for the crews that are coming in as well as going out," says Rouse.
When the fencing project started, the airport told us it was to increase security. Rouse says the airport is telling him it's to keep up with TSA mandates.
"Montrose [airport] doesn't have this and they're under the same TSA [rules.] It's just that for some reason, the airport manager decided that this is the way to go," says Rouse.
We contacted TSA and asked them about the fence. They told us airports are required to secure their properties. How they do it, is up to them. They just have to have the plan approved by TSA.
Rouse says the airport is giving businesses like his a chance to make things right. The airport has told Rouse and the others to come up with a better plan, and get it approved by the TSA.
We tried getting a hold of the airport for comment, but they didn't return our calls.
http://www.kjct8.com/news/28190073/detail.html