Hartsfield will be among first of airports with federal security screeners

ATLANTA - The new federal office in charge of airline security announced Thursday that 15 airports will be the first group to have government employees conduct passenger and baggage screening. <br> <br> The 15 airports -- including Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington, Boston, Chicago O&#39;Hare and New York Kennedy -- are being studied by the new Transportation Security Administration as it prepares to replace the private companies now handling security. <br> <br> By November 19, passengers at all 429 commercial airports are to be screened by a higher-paid, better-trained federal work force. <br> <br> These steps were outlined as the new agency prepared to assume responsibility on Sunday for protecting airline passengers. Under the airline security law enacted after September eleventh, the agency will displace the airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration. <br> <br> Airline officials said a federal takeover of security was long overdue. <br> <br> The other ten airports that will be the first to get federal security screeners are Anchorage, Alaska; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Louisville, Kentucky; Minneapolis; Mobile, Alabama; Orlando, Florida; San Francisco; and Spokane, Washington.