Is It Customer Service or Security at the Billings Airport?

That’s the question in Billings, Montana, where the top Transportation Security Administration official in Montana is being criticized for how passengers at Gallatin Field near Bozeman were treated after a man inadvertently got a gun through security late last year. The official attended a regular meeting of the Airport Authority Board on Thursday to answer accusations that passengers had been treated poorly since the Dec. 13 security breach. A board member told the official that the “heavy-headed” demeanor of screeners “leaves a bad taste in your mouth.” Other board members said TSA employees at the airport are less courteous than at other airports. The official said he takes customer service seriously and was “very pleased to get the feedback.” The TSA said in January that screeners accidentally allowed a passenger with a firearm in his carryon luggage through security about a month before. The unidentified man realized he had the gun when he was in the boarding area and turned himself in.

How do you balance convenience and inconvenience when it comes to security? Email your comments to zaludreport@bnpmedia.com