Air passengers line up for TSA security screenings at Denver International Airport last week. (Photo by Robert Alexander)
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects Friday to break the record for the number of passengers screened at airports in a single day. The agency expects to screen more than 3 million people on June 28, which it says will be the peak travel day for this summer’s Fourth of July travel period.
In terms of air traveler volume, this summer is already shaping up to be a doozy. Since mid-May, the TSA has seen multiple days break into the top 10 busiest days in the agency’s 22-year history.
On a typical day, TSA officers screen roughly 2.5 million people nationwide. But over the past month, airport security has seen that number exceeded by several hundred thousand travelers per day. On the most recent two Fridays, for example, the agency screened nearly 2.8 million passengers on each of those days.
Among major U.S. airports, Philadelphia ranks as the 21st busiest in the country. There, the TSA screens about 33,400 people per day, but since Memorial Day Weekend, closer to 40,000 people are coming through the security checkpoints. “We expect to screen 8.3% more individuals at our checkpoints this summer compared to last summer,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director at Philadelphia International Airport. “Travel volume expected out of Philadelphia is expected to be high. We ready to handle this summer’s increased travel volumes as we approach the July 4th holiday.”
Airports are going to be crowded, obviously, which means longer lines at check-in and airport security. “The best advice that I can offer is to get to the airport well before your ticketed departure time,” Spero said.
Nobody wants to be the person holding up the airport security line. “Travelers can save time by removing items from their pockets and placing them in a carry-on bag, instead of putting items directly into bins at the conveyor belt,” Spero said.
Packing prohibited items slow the line because TSA officers will need to open and inspect your bag to determine what triggered the alarm. Before you get to the airport security checkpoint, check TSA’s “What Can I Bring?” tool to know what is prohibited. Move prohibited items to checked baggage or risk getting them confiscated.
For example, are you heading to the beach? Consider how you pack the sunscreen. Large bottles and tubes (over 3.4 ounces) of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes must be packed in a checked bag. Carry-on bags are limited to one quart-size bag containing small containers 3.4 ounces or less.
Last year, TSA officers at At Philadelphia airport, officers stopped 45 guns from being carried onto planes by passengers, breaking the previous year’s record of 44 guns caught. Firearms are never prohibited to pass through security checkpoints, even if a passenger has a concealed carry permit or is in a constitutional carry jurisdiction. Passengers are only allowed to travel with an unloaded firearm if it is packed in a locked, hard-sided case in their checked baggage and declared to the airline at check-in.
When TSA officers find a firearm in a carry-on bag, they will contact local law enforcement to unload and take possession the gun. TSA may impose a civil penalty up to $15,000 when weapons are intercepted, and passengers will lose TSA PreCheck eligibility. Local enforcement may also arrest or cite the passenger, depending on local law.
As of Friday at 11 am, more than 1,600 flights are delayed. That number will rise throughout the day, according to FlightAware, a free app that provides real-time, historical, and predictive flight tracking data. (More than 8,300 flights were delayed in each of the past three days.)
Flight delays escalate throughout the day because of how airlines reuse planes and crews for multiple trips during the day, creating a domino effect. A late-morning flight delay in Charlotte, for example, can prevent a plane from getting to Chicago for an early-afternoon departure, which can in turn bump back the same plane’s late-afternoon flight out of Houston.
FlightAware can tell you if your plane is on schedule or give you an early heads-up that a problem is afoot. Enter your flight information, and then click the “Where is my plane now?” link just under the flight number. If your plane is behind schedule, you can take action accordingly. FlightAware also lets you sign up for alerts to be sent via email or text if there are changes associated with your flight. You can search by flight number or city pairing.
