Survey says NYC will be less popular in '08

About 20 to 26 percent of TSA workers leave their jobs—or are let go—each year. The 20 percent estimate comes from a USA Today analysis of federal data. A higher, 26 percent figure, can be inferred from a recent post on the TSA's blog, Evolution of Security. For years, the agency has refused to simply say how many of its staffers have joined only to later quit or be let go. But homeland security gadfly Annie Jacobsen thinks the TSA accidentally released this info on a blog entry, excerpted here: “To date, we have terminated and sought prosecution for about 200 of our employees who have been accused of stealing, either from checked bags, passengers’ carry-ons or fellow employees. While 200 out of more than 110,000 employees is a minuscule percentage (less than one half of one percent) over the short life of the agency, one theft is too many when you are in the position of public trust as we are.” Over at Pajamas Media, Anne breaks down this post in plain English. —The TSA has a [Congressionally-mandated] work force of 43,000 screeners. —TSA blog says the agency has had a total of “more than 110,000 employees” in its six-year history. —That means more than 67,000 individuals who entered into employment contracts with TSA have left the agency over this period of six years Meanwhile, USA Today says: One in five screeners left between Oct. 1, 2006, and Sept. 30, 2007, federal Office of Personnel Management figures show. The turnover rate was identical the year before. Still, it's not clear if a 20 to 26 percent annual turnover rate is high. According to the website of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "overall U.S. voluntary turnover" hovers around 23 percent a year, according to the most recent tally. In other words, TSA agents leave their jobs with roughly the same frequency as folks in the service industry. No doubt, the job is often thankless. Training involves two-weeks of intensive classes, and wages are roughly $14 an hour, with about $21 for overtime. Says USA Today: Screener salaries, though higher than they were before the TSA was created, are still lower than for comparable jobs. Full-time screeners earned $34,934 on average in 2006-07, federal data show. The nation's 3 million protective-service workers, including security guards, police and corrections officers, earned $37,040 on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An average screener supporting a family of four would be eligible for reduced-price school meals, federal eligibility guidelines show. What do you think about how the TSA hires its staff? EARLIER An interesting solution to airport security lines.

In a historic and controversial first, today the Philharmonic became the first major Western institution to perform in North Korea, which remains under the iron grip of Kim Jong Il. Director Lorin Maazel led the musicans—including eight of Korean descent—in works by Gershwin, Dvorak, and Wagner as well as the Korean folk song Arirang. When introducing Gershwin's "American in Paris," Maazel quipped that a composer might someday write a work titled "Americans in Pyongyang.” (You can read an account of the event here.) The North Korean government has granted unusual access to the Americans, who were greeted with a traditional music and dance performance, an opulent banquet, and tours of the capital. Curious to see what one of the least-visited cities in the world looks like? You can get a peek by checking out our slide show and an excerpt from the coffee-table book, Welcome to Pyongyang. Newsweek's Beijing bureau chief Melinda Liu wrote a blog post with insights into the political implications of the Philharmonic's visit, where the musicians are staying, and what they're allowed to experience. The magazine also managed to enlist fashion designers to make over Kim Jong Il. You can view the decidedly less dictator-like results—and even create your own outfit! RELATED One of the world's most isolated countries courts tourists: Should you boycott?

Starting May 5, US Airways will charge most of its passengers on domestic flights $25 to check a second bag. This follows a move by United Airlines earlier this month to do the same, as we reported. Among the exceptions are Dividend Miles Preferred members. Details on other exceptions here.

You sprinted to the gate and just caught that connecting flight. But did your baggage come with? London Heathrow's six-month trial of radio-tagging technology could turn such fears of lost luggage into an inconvenience of the past. Nine Emirates counters at Heathrow will use radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, equipped with silicon chips and antennas, to encode a passenger's name and route. The tags will track 50,000 bags each month on flights traveling to and from Dubai via Heathrow. If all goes as planned, the wireless technology will read bags with an accuracy of 95 to 99 percent, according to the International Air Transport Association. For passengers, the technology will increase reliability. While traditional baggage tags can crease or become wet in transit, the less damage-prone radio tags won't rely on barcodes or line of sight. (With traditional tags, the barcodes need to be upright so that the scanners can read them; the chips don't have this problem because they are read wirelessly.) The wireless technology can read hundreds of tags per second and nearly eliminates misreads—upping the chances of a bag making even a tight connection. (According to SITA, about 94,000 bags across the world were mishandled every day last year). Although only a handful of airports across the world currently use RFID (Hong Kong was the first to do so in 2005), the technology could be enhanced to include more extensive route details if proven successful. What does that mean for us? In a couple years, you may not have to worry about buying a new set of underwear after making a tight connecting flight. Ah, technology. Do you think RDIF tags will help you from losing your luggage in transit? RELATED Heathrow rolls out eye scanners, Pod hotel lands at Heathrow, and Heathrow changing its weird one-bag rule. ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB Vagabondish blogs about the RFID technology for luggage.