Union: Flight attendants groped at checkpoints

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Citing what it calls airport security screeners' "unprofessional and abusive behavior" -- including fondling and groping -- the flight attendants union is demanding that the screeners be replaced with "real law enforcement officers."

In a letter dated November 9, Patricia Friend, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, told Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta that flight crews have "seemingly been targeted for extensive searches" -- including several incidents in which male security screeners reportedly "fondled and groped" female flight attendants.

"The Association of Flight attendants recognizes the importance of vigilant security screening to keep weapons from being brought onboard aircraft," Friend's letter said. "However, we will not accept abusive behavior and illicit touching of female flight attendants."

Bill Mosley, a spokesman for the Department of Transportation, acknowledged receipt of the letter and said a response would be "going out shortly."

"We're not going to respond publicly until we've sent that response to Ms. Friend," he said.

The union's letter cited three instances of uncalled-for handling of female flight attendants, including a pregnant attendant based in Oregon who was subjected to a body search after her buttons set off a metal detector. The screeners pressed against her belly, Friend said, and threatened a strip search when she objected.

Flight attendants singled out?

Friend also said the union is concerned about "unevenly administered" security screening, "with flight attendants singled out for aggressive treatment in some cases." At the same time that the Oregon attendant was being checked, Friend said, passengers who set off the metal detectors were allowed to continue on their way to the gates.

The letter also said a male attendant passing through Boston was frisked and made to open his pants in the boarding area, while a passenger was apparently allowed to board his flight carrying long knitting needles.

"Flight attendants as a group have not been identified as a security risk, nor has a flight attendant been a terrorist," the letter said.

The private contractors providing security at airport checkpoints, Friend said, are the air transportation system's "fatal flaw."

President Bush signed an airport security bill on November 19 that requires all security screeners to be well-trained federal employees within a year. But Friend's letter called on Mineta to take immediate action.

"It's clear that this abusive behavior, combined with serious, ongoing security lapses at airport screening checkpoints, adds to the mounds of evidence that show private contractors cannot properly administer critical security functions," she said.