Air travellers complained about ‘unprofessional’ screening staff. Now the officers are speaking up [Video]

Current and former airport screening officers say systemic issues such as high turnover, an influx of new hires, poor management and a “toxic” work culture among some teams could explain why some passengers see unprofessional behaviour at security checkpoints at Canadian airports including Ottawa’s.

The workers shared their perspectives after CBC News reported last month on 138 passenger complaints submitted to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) regarding the screening process at the Ottawa International Airport between January 2023 and May 2024.

Unprofessional behaviour by screening officers topped the list of concerns, with travellers using phrases such as “truly appalling,” “threatening,” “insensitive” and “absolute power trip” to describe their treatment. 

“The concerns raised really resonated with me,” said Sean Coombs, a former screening officer at the Ottawa airport. “While I felt sad … it’s the truth and I’m glad that it’s now out there.”

The attitude was a very sit down and shut up.– Joie Osmond, former screening officer

CATSA said those complaints represent a …