Narrative:

Operating flight, I was informed on the call to bhm that we would be taking a group. The group would board from the ramp via the jetway stairs. Once at the gate, I was informed that several group members and guests would board from the terminal. The operations agent said the flight was to be a charter but that reservations had 3 old tickets and there was 1 revenue passenger boarding. I contacted dispatch and was told that the flight would not operate as a charter. Accompanying the group was 1 state trooper, full uniform and fire arm. The officer boarded with the group. Proper paperwork was completed in the jetway and filed in bhm. I am unaware if proper paperwork written on departmental letterhead was provided by the officer. To my knowledge, only the few group members and 1 revenue passenger boarding from the terminal had passed through security. The group and the equipment may have been screened prior to entering the ramp. If not, there was a breach of security having all individuals together during the flight to hou. The flight was flown without incident. On time! The one revenue passenger exited into the terminal while the remaining passenger exited to the ramp to await busses.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLC RPT ON A POSSIBLE BREACH OF ARPT TERMINAL SECURITY WHEN A GROUP IS BOARDED FROM RAMP VERSUS THE TERMINAL AS SECURITY MEASURES MIGHT DICTATE AT BHM, AL.

Narrative: OPERATING FLT, I WAS INFORMED ON THE CALL TO BHM THAT WE WOULD BE TAKING A GROUP. THE GROUP WOULD BOARD FROM THE RAMP VIA THE JETWAY STAIRS. ONCE AT THE GATE, I WAS INFORMED THAT SEVERAL GROUP MEMBERS AND GUESTS WOULD BOARD FROM THE TERMINAL. THE OPS AGENT SAID THE FLT WAS TO BE A CHARTER BUT THAT RESERVATIONS HAD 3 OLD TICKETS AND THERE WAS 1 REVENUE PAX BOARDING. I CONTACTED DISPATCH AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FLT WOULD NOT OPERATE AS A CHARTER. ACCOMPANYING THE GROUP WAS 1 STATE TROOPER, FULL UNIFORM AND FIRE ARM. THE OFFICER BOARDED WITH THE GROUP. PROPER PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETED IN THE JETWAY AND FILED IN BHM. I AM UNAWARE IF PROPER PAPERWORK WRITTEN ON DEPARTMENTAL LETTERHEAD WAS PROVIDED BY THE OFFICER. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ONLY THE FEW GROUP MEMBERS AND 1 REVENUE PAX BOARDING FROM THE TERMINAL HAD PASSED THROUGH SECURITY. THE GROUP AND THE EQUIP MAY HAVE BEEN SCREENED PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RAMP. IF NOT, THERE WAS A BREACH OF SECURITY HAVING ALL INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER DURING THE FLT TO HOU. THE FLT WAS FLOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON TIME! THE ONE REVENUE PAX EXITED INTO THE TERMINAL WHILE THE REMAINING PAX EXITED TO THE RAMP TO AWAIT BUSSES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.