Says Agency Has "Consistently Found Problems" With Carrier At ORD

The US Transportation Security Administration, apparently embarrassed last week for supporting an inspector who climbed aboard American Eagle regional jets at Chicago O'Hare by using air temperature probes as grab handles, has retaliated against the airline with charges and fines.

The Transportation Security Administration told CNN Thursday it will investigate "multiple security violations," and may fine the airport as much as $175,000.

TSA says airlines are allowed to park planes with unsecured doors overnight, provided they're not too close to jetways, but American Eagle is leaving its planes both unlocked and too close. The agency told CNN it has "consistently found problems" with American Eagle at O'Hare, adding that this is an isolated problem unique to this airline at this airport.

As ANN reported, on the morning of August 19 a TSA inspector reported he was able to gain access to seven of nine parked American Eagle planes... by grabbing the fragile air temperature probes on the outside of the fuselages to pull himself up to unlocked doors. The airline delayed 40 flights to check for damage, after its own employees observed the inspector, and warned maintenance officials.

The airline says neither TSA nor the inspector said anything about the dangerous stunt ahead of scheduled takeoffs, putting crews and passengers at risk.

The TSA now admits its inspector erred, and says he'll be retrained. But the agency says he was, "...seeking to close a real danger to the traveling public... The TSA stands behind the inspector and that effort."

It's hard not to wonder if they'd still back the inspector if this was all part of an NTSB report.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.tsa.gov