Sky-High Turnover Rates at Air Security
Josh Pringle
The turnover rate among air passenger screeners is sky-high at the Ottawa International Airport and other airports across Canada.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority says almost one-quarter of officers who screen passengers before flights left their jobs in 2009-10, well above the target rate of 4.9 per cent.
At the Ottawa International Airport, the turnover rate was 13 per cent, compared with 73 per cent in Calgary.
The numbers include people who quit, as well as firings, layoffs, transfers, retirements and deaths.
Workplace turbulence is hitting the Edmonton International Airport.
Its crew was dealt a major blow this past year as 55% of security screeners left their jobs, a new report shows.
Turnover at the Edmonton airport is among the highest in the country, reveals the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority report.
The 96-page document tracks the performance and effectiveness of security at Canada’s eight busiest airports.
Through 2009 and 2010, Calgary’s airport saw the highest attrition rates in the screening section, with 70.3% of workers leaving.
Edmonton’s attrition rate was the country’s second highest.
At Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson airport, just 9% of airport screeners left during that time frame.
Figures include security screeners who quit, died, were laid off, resigned or retired.
The Edmonton International Airport did not respond to a request for comment.
