HONOLULU, June 11 (UPI) -- The security boss at the Honolulu airport and 35 subordinates are being fired for failing to check luggage for bombs, officials say.

Transportation Security Administration spokesman Nico Melendez said Friday letters of "proposed termination" were sent to 36 workers and 12 more are being suspended. The fired workers are on paid administrative leave while they appeal.


Melendez did not name them, but the Honolulu Star-Advertiser identified the federal security director as Glen Kajiyama and the assistant deputy director for screening as William Gulledge, both former Honolulu police commanders.

The workers came under suspicion after two TSA workers told supervisors colleagues were not screening checked luggage being loaded on flights in a section of the airport, The Washington Post reported.

Investigators found that every day during late 2010, an undetermined number of flights took off with unscreened baggage.

Melendez said 100 of the 750 TSA employees at Honolulu International were interviewed during the investigation.

"TSA holds its workforce to the highest ethical standards and we will not tolerate employees who in any way compromise the security of the traveling public," Administrator John Pistole said.