TSA Names Lambert-St. Louis International Airport as Gateway for General Aviation Access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

WASHINGTON, June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Transportation Security Administration today named Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) the newest gateway airport for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). That designation allows certain pre-cleared general aviation operations, including corporate aircraft, charter flights and on-demand operations, to fly directly from Lambert-St. Louis to Reagan National.

Currently, TSA allows general aviation flights that meet certain conditions to land at DCA. Aircraft must arrive from one of 20 gateway airports, including STL, after flight crews have been vetted and passengers screened.

"TSA is pleased to add St. Louis as the most recent gateway airport for access to DCA," said Michal Morgan, TSA's general manager for general aviation. "The expansion of the gateway airports provides additional flexibility for operators requesting access to the nation's capital. We look forward to working with our general aviation industry partners to continue expanding the program while maintaining the highest level of security."

The access program was developed in July 2005 in coordination with other components of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. It allows up to 48 general aviation flights into DCA per day, and addresses the unique aviation security needs in the national capitol region by requiring all aircraft to meet standards set by TSA. These measures include:

-- Advanced registration and qualification of operators and crews seeking to operate at DCA.

-- TSA inspection of crew and passengers.

-- TSA inspection of property (accessible and checked) and aircraft.

-- Identification checks of passengers by TSA.

-- Submission of passenger and crew manifests 24 hours in advance of a flight.

-- Enhanced background checks for all passengers and fingerprint-based criminal history record checks for flight crews.

-- An armed security officer on board each flight.

In addition to Lambert-St. Louis, gateway airports include Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass.; Port Columbus International in Columbus, Ohio; Dulles International in Chantilly, Va.; Bradley International in Windsor Locks, Conn.; Dallas/Love Field; Memphis (Tenn.) International; General Mitchell International in Milwaukee; Seattle-Tacoma International; Boston Logan; Houston Hobby; Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y.; LaGuardia, N.Y.; Chicago Midway; Minneapolis-St.Paul International; Palm Beach International in West Palm Beach, Fla.; San Francisco International; Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, N.J.; Philadelphia International; and Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky.

SOURCE Transportation Security Administration

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