If you’ve traveled by plane, you can probably picture this scene: Passengers line up to present their IDs to an airport officer, put their carry-on luggage on a conveyor belt and walk through a scanner.
But one detail at Kansas City International Airport is a bit unique. The uniformed officers who scan IDs and screen carry-on bags wear badges and U.S. flag patches, but they’re not Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers — they’re private contractors. It’s a distinction many passengers don’t seem to notice.
“It’s news to me,” said Natasha Greenway, holding the handle of her son’s stroller before catching a flight to Philadelphia.
Read the rest from NPR here.
