Does The TSA Have An Air Marshal On Every Flight?

On any given day, the Federal Aviation Administration oversees over 45,000 flights with 2.9 million passengers on board. Those flights cover more than 29 million square miles of airspace, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for the safety and security of passengers, crew, and the aircraft they travel in. When many of us think of the TSA, what airport body scanners can see is among the first things that come to mind. You've probably also mastered the art of packing your bags so you don't have any run-ins with TSA officers when going through a checkpoint. The agency was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to improve airport security and bring it under one federal agency. A big part of the TSA's effort is the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), the agency's law enforcement arm. 

You might know these important TSA rules about electronics like having your cell phone, tablet, and laptop charged so you can power them on if a TSA agent asks you to. But the TSA's role extends well beyond the airport security checkpoint. Its mission also includes protecting passengers in the air. As part of that mission, the TSA places armed officers — federal air marshals — on select flights to deter and respond to threats in the air. However, with tens of thousands of daily flights and only about 3,000 federal air marshals (many of whom are on "chair marshal" office assignments) it's just not feasible for the TSA to assign a marshal to every flight. 

It may bring you some peace of mind knowing that TSA has the authority to place armed law enforcement officers on domestic flights and international trips operated by American carriers, but the numbers make it impossible for the agency to assign an air marshal to every one. And just as the TSA has different security requirements for private jet passengers, private flights typically do not have a federal air marshal on board. In 2014, former Navy SEAL and Federal Air Marshal Clay Biles told the USA Today, "The job of a federal air marshal is nothing more than watching the cockpit door. It's based on the 9/11 mentality of a terrorist hijack team assaulting the cockpit to assume control."

But being an air marshal entails much more than just sitting on a flight for a few hours, keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior, and being prepared to step in if a situation gets out of hand. The federal air marshal service is a risk- and intelligence-focused law enforcement agency that protects the public in the sky and on the ground. In addition to their in-flight responsibilities, air marshals also work in airports and other transportation hubs — including train and bus stations — in the U.S. and abroad, supporting law enforcement efforts to help secure the transportation system. 

Air marshals travel undercover. If they're on your flight they'll behave much like you do, watching in-flight movies, reading, eating, or napping. But unlike regular passengers, they're not allowed to drink alcohol while on duty. If an air marshal is on your flight, they might not be alone. In high-risk situations, air marshals sometimes travel in pairs or groups of four. If you suspect the passenger sitting next to you is an Air marshal and ask them about it, they're under no obligation to identify themselves to you. However, if there's an incident on a flight, they can reveal their identity at their discretion to help take control of the situation. While a great deal of how the Federal Air Marshal Service operates on flights is classified, we can get a general idea of the strategies they use based on what's in the public domain. The TSA uses a risk-based model to determine which flights receive air marshal coverage. 

If a flight is deemed a high security risk by the secretary of transportation, the Federal Air Marshal Service will prioritize its coverage. Non-stop long-distance flights that have a risk profile similar to those targeted on 9/11 also receive priority. As part of its risk assessment, the TSA may analyze passenger information to identify individuals warranting additional scrutiny. Under the TSA's Quiet Skies program, air marshals may conduct surveillance of travelers who meet certain criteria — even if they are not on a government watchlist — to help prevent threats to aviation security. The TSA is always monitoring threat intelligence reports to stay current, and uses this information to guide the strategic placement of air marshals on flights.