ORLANDO, Fla. – The chief executive officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) told Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings in an e-mail that the airport will review operational and queue-management procedures following a traveler’s complaint about an encounter with an officer from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The man who filed the complaint asked News 6 not to use his name. News 6 obtained the e-mail the man sent Mayor Demings — who sits on GOAA’s board — informing him of an encounter he allegedly had with a CBP officer earlier this month.
“Last night I encountered what I perceived as a less-than favorable interaction with a CBP officer when attempting to re-enter the country at MCO,” the man wrote in an email to Demings on Jan. 15.
The man’s e-mail included an attachment that he characterized as a “formal complaint,” in which he described the encounter.
The complaint alleged that after airport queue staff directed the man and his girlfriend to proceed to a specific customs line, the officer in question “immediately displayed hostility” and said that they “should not have approached.”
The man described the officer’s behavior as “hostile, confrontational, and disproportionate to the situation.”
When he and his girlfriend offered to return to the line, the man claimed, the officer “escalated further and stated that, ‘kicking us out of the line was within his power.’”
During questioning, the man recounted, the officer accused him of “drinking the entire time” he was out of the country. The man also said the officer “directed inappropriate personal comments” toward his girlfriend, asking her “why she was not married to me and questioned why she was single.”
News 6 reached out to CBP Tuesday and Wednesday, but we have not yet heard back.
An aide to Demings forwarded the man’s complaint to Aviation Authority CEO Lance Lyttle last Friday, requesting Lyttle brief the mayor on the matter.
A day later, Lyttle e-mailed Demings and called the allegations “concerning,” writing that if substantiated, the behavior “would not align with the professional standards that both GOAA and CBP expect at our airport.”
“We will share this correspondence with the acting Orlando CBP Port Director and will request that the matter be reviewed through their formal internal processes, including review of available video and supervisory follow-up as appropriate,” Lyttle wrote in the e-mail.
Lyttle noted that while GOAA does not have authority over CBP personnel matters, he said the airport will continue to engage with CBP leadership “to reinforce the importance of professionalism, respectful engagement, and a positive arrival experience for our international passengers.”
He also said GOAA will “review any operational or queue-management procedures on the airport side to ensure that passenger instructions provided by airport personnel are fully aligned with CBP lane protocols, so that travelers are not placed in conflicting or confusing situations.”
When News 6 reached out to GOAA, a spokesperson said that Lyttle’s e-mail, which we obtained, represents the airport’s position.
Below is the full statement from Angela Starke, the senior vice president of Public Affairs at MCO:
“Lance Lyttle’s email represents the airport’s position. As for operational reviews, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority consistently evaluates its processes and incorporates improvements as needed. One recent example is the Gate Link Replacement project. We did a walkthrough recently and noted some of the signage may not be as visible as it could be for passengers, so we have begun to relocate the signs for a better wayfinding experience.
In addition, we are constantly looking for ways to elevate MCO. Last week, we held the first meeting of the MCO TAG program to gain feedback from local residents about how to deliver a better journey. Here’s our LinkedIn post.
You will need to speak directly with CBP regarding any employee actions."
News 6 was able to get in touch with the man who filed the complaint, but he did not wish to be interviewed. He sent News 6 the following statement:
“I couldn’t be more thankful for all the brave men and women serving our country in uniformed positions each and every day. I’m grateful to see local leaders collaborating to ensure the standard of professionalism is upheld within our critical infrastructure.”
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