Whistleblower Urges Quick Action on Air Travel Safety
John Casaretti, a whistleblower on air travel safety and president of the Aviation Former S Association, is making a strong appeal to President Donald Trump and Congress. He wants them to act swiftly to allow the Federal Aviation Former S Services (FAMS) to operate independently, free from “bureaucracy.”
FAMS was originally established under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the 1960s, following directives from President John F. Kennedy. However, it shifted to the TSA after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“Everything that Air Marshals did since 2007 was done through the lens of TSA bureaucrats,” Casaretti explained. “The TSA only focuses on screeners and lacks in-depth experience with law enforcement. Unfortunately, the Air Marshals took their direction from them, leading to a cycle of poorly conceived policies. In terms of intelligence, the employment standards were also not up to par.”
He further noted, “They turned Air Marshal Services into a career path for TSA screeners, who started as counter-terrorism agents but eventually became just part of TSA’s workforce. It’s baffling and really needs to change.”
Labor group leaders have recently echoed concerns in an op-ed titled “It’s The Federal Air Marshal Service,” which provided context around the TSA’s controversial Quiet Skies program that was shut down in June due to invasive surveillance practices.
According to Casaretti, details about the program had previously surfaced, revealing that it operated by monitoring ordinary citizens who were not on any watchlists. “The Aviation Former S Association believes that flight scheduling should be guided by recognized intelligence or ongoing federal investigations, which the Quiet Skies program utterly failed to meet,” he added.
Casaretti argued, “In these situations, the public would be better served by American air marshals. Instead, they got assigned to airport screening and check-in areas, which hinders their ability to respond effectively to incidents.” Despite ongoing scrutiny, the Quiet Skies program continued to surveil “thousands of unsuspecting Americans” with a small, armed team.
Records indicated that the team tracked passengers exhibiting odd behaviors, including fiddling with their belongings or showing “cold penetrating stares.”
The controversy surrounding Quiet Skies intensified in 2024 when one of the monitored individuals revealed they had been surveilled; this individual was then-presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard.
“I conveyed this to Congress, and the fallout eventually caused the program’s cancellation,” he mentioned in an op-ed.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the program’s termination, stating it had “failed to prevent a single terrorist attack while costing taxpayers $200 million a year since its inception.”
DHS also mentioned that the program had been misused to target political enemies rather than actual threats, disguised as a safety measure.
Casaretti remarked, “We can’t keep going down this path. Right now, there aren’t the right people focused on preventing terrorist acts in the air.” He emphasized the heightened risk of terrorism, noting that intelligence analysts are increasingly sounding alarms about potential threats.
“The TSA has been monitoring innocent Americans based on CIA and NSA data. It’s absurd,” he continued. “Something is off here. We’ve been attempting to work with former Georgia Rep. Jody Heath to push for legislation requiring TSA to clarify their intelligence practices.” He mentioned that despite his efforts, there have been no substantial improvements to enhance air safety measures.
Both the House and Senate are looking to separate FAMS from the TSA, but proposals are still under review.
Casaretti pointed out that the president could expedite the separation through executive orders. “This could happen quickly, especially since the bill is in legislative review,” he said.
He also expressed urgency regarding potential threats, revealing that warnings about an attack are expected around mid-December. “This needs to happen fast,” he asserted, as a standalone agency for FAMS is crucial for effective operations.
Ultimately, he believes that with the right attention, legislative measures could pave the way for a faster transition.
