The group foresees a total of 2.5 million passengers per day, a prediction that would further snarl airports already dealing with massive lines at security checkpoints, manned, critics say, by too few federal screeners having to inspect too many carry-on bags.
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A record number of fliers are expected to hit the skies this summer, according to Airlines of America, with more than 231 million passengers estimated to fly domestically. As we head into the busy summer travel season, I wanted to fill you in on some of our efforts to address the situation. “There was probably 200 people in the line in front of me”, traveler Norm Patrick said.
“We can’t eliminate TSA lines, that’s obviously a staffing issue on their end, but what we can do is put personnel (in place) who can assist them”.
The TSA has 42,525 front-line staffers this year, a 10% drop since fiscal year 2013, according to the agency. But he said the only way to fix long airport lines is to increase staffing for the Transportation Security Administration.
For several weeks, national news has covered long TSA lines snaking through airports in New York, Denver, and Chicago.
Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnson is set to meet with Mayor Rahm Emanuel Friday to discuss the recent TSA screening problems at O’Hare and Midway.
Airlines have temporarily offered staff to help with the lines, and American Airlines pledged this week to spend $4 million to hire contract staff at their key airports to relieve TSA officers from performing nonscreening functions like managing the lines.
Many airline customers choose to fly instead of drive because it’s faster, but that may no longer be true for those traveling a short distance.
A representative from the airline, which had 450 customers miss their flights at O’Hare on Sunday because they didn’t make it through security in time, said security dogs help keep lines from backing up.
“We showed up two-, two-and-a-half hours early and there was only one person checking IDs”, he said.
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Schumer said that the surge in canine units needed to be coupled with an additional surge in TSA agents to accurately and efficiently screen passengers standing in stalled security lines. “If there’s any ways they can move the process along better, they need to employ those personnel”, Kimble said.
