TSA Shakes Up Leadership At O'Hare To Deal With Long Security Lines
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Responding to public outrage over extremely long waits at O'Hare Airport, the TSA has appointed new leadership in Chicago to handle the problem at one of the world's busiest airports.
"Senior level staff with different expertise" are being added to the O'Hare screening unit "to look at the delays from a different angle," a source tells CBS 2.
According to a memo from TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger, the new leadership team at O'Hare is now overseeing screening operations to reduce wait times while ensuring secure passenger screening.
"This strong leadership team and the talented workforce at O'Hare have made immediate adjustments that have dramatically improved passenger throughput, even as volume increased beyond 90,000 passengers a day," Neffenger wrote in a memo to TSA senior officials.
The moves at O'Hare come as the head of TSA security operations was sacked.
"Kelly Hoggan has been removed from his position as head of security at TSA," the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform posted on Twitter.
In his memo, Neffenger named Darby LaJoye as the Acting Assistant Administrator of the Office of Security Operations.
The memo makes no mention of any changes at Chicago's Midway Airport.
Earlier this month, the TSA announced plans to add more staff at O'Hare.
American Airlines said 4,000 passengers have missed flights at O'Hare since February due to the security lines.
