TSA says fully staffed amid steady lines

The Transportation Security Administration said it was fully staffed for the Memorial Day travel rush on Friday, May 23, even as steady security lines were reported at many major U.S. airports. Local radio outlet WWBL carried the staffing update and said travelers should still expect delays and longer waits at checkpoint areas through the holiday weekend. AAA has forecast nearly 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the five-day period ending Monday, May 25, a record for the holiday. TSA has separately told travelers to build in extra time for airport processing as traffic increases. ### If TSA says it is fully staffed, why are lines still building? WWBL reported on May 23 that TSA said it was fully staffed, but that steady lines were already being reported at major airports. The report said travelers should allow extra time for check-in and security screening during the holiday weekend. AAA said on May 19 that nearly 45 million Americans would travel over Memorial Day weekend, with the travel window running from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. The group said that would be the highest Memorial Day total on record. ### How many people are expected to fly? AAA said 3.66 million people were expected to travel by air domestically over the holiday period, a small increase from last year. That air volume is part of the broader 45 million-person Memorial Day forecast cited across local and national coverage. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said on May 18 that about 5.6 million travelers were expected to use its airports and vehicular crossings during the same five-day holiday stretch. (newsroom.acg.aaa.com) The agency urged travelers headed to JFK to use mass transit where possible because of increased volumes and construction. ### What exactly did travelers hear in the local reports? An iHeartRadio news update published May 23 said, “TSA says they are fully staffed, but steady lines are already being reported at many major airports.” The same update said AAA projected 45 million people would drive, fly, or take a bus or train over the weekend. (panynj.gov) WWBL’s report carried the same practical message: staffing levels may be intact, but passengers should still expect waits at checkpoints and should give themselves more time than usual to clear airport formalities. ### What is TSA telling passengers to do now? TSA’s travel guidance tells passengers to check identification requirements, review prohibited-item rules and prepare for screening before arriving at the checkpoint. (iheart.com) The agency’s travel page says passengers can use those resources to avoid avoidable delays at security. TIME reported this month that Memorial Day travelers should expect crowded airports as record holiday demand collides with higher costs and tight schedules. That guidance matched the message from local radio reports that normal airport timing may not be enough this weekend. ### Where are the pressure points this weekend? (tsa.gov) Major hub airports are likely to bear the brunt of the holiday surge because the increase is national rather than isolated to one region. Port Authority facilities in the New York area are among the systems preparing for especially heavy volumes, and local reports said long checkpoint lines were already visible at multiple airports by Friday. (time.com) Monday, May 25, is the last day of AAA’s Memorial Day travel window. TSA’s current traveler guidance remains available on its travel page, while airport operators and local outlets are continuing to warn passengers to arrive early and allow extra time for check-in and security processing. (tsa.gov) (panynj.gov)