Friday to be busiest day ever for airline travel, TSA says – Washington Examiner
Friday is anticipated to be the busiest day in U.S. airline history with a record number of travelers flying ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. The TSA predicts that the peak of this travel surge will occur on Friday, June 30. The anticipation of June 30 being the busiest day in U.S. airline history for travel around the Fourth of July highlights how important it is for both travelers and airlines to prepare adequately. With this surge, airlines might increase their staff numbers to handle the additional passenger load more efficiently, ensuring that security checks are swift and effective, and potentially even adjusting flight schedules to accommodate the increased demand.
Travelers, on the other hand, would be wise to plan their itineraries carefully, arrive at airports earlier than usual to navigate through potentially longer security lines, and prepare for unexpected delays. Proper planning and cooperation between airlines, airports, and passengers are crucial in managing such a peak efficiently, ensuring safety, and enhancing the travel experience during such busy times.
Implementing strategies like enhanced TSA staffing, clear communication of travel tips through various channels, and encouraging online or mobile check-ins could also help manage the flow and expectations, leading to a smoother transit process for everyone involved. This initiative requires a coordinated effort from all sectors involved in the air travel industry.
Friday is expected to be the busiest-ever day of airline travel in U.S. history as a record number of people board flights ahead of the Fourth of July holiday next week.
“TSA anticipates the peak travel day will be Friday, June 28, when the agency expects to screen more than 3 million individuals,” the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement. The agency broke its single-day screening record on Sunday when it processed 2.99 million people.
Overall, the TSA anticipates its officers will interact with more than 32 million people between Thursday, June 27, and Monday, July 8, as travelers take advantage of the holiday next Thursday. Fourth of July holiday travel this year is forecasted to be 5% higher than last year.
Airline travel, both domestically and internationally, has continued to bounce back and hit new highs since the pandemic.
Earlier this year, Congress passed funding that brought TSA officer pay rates up to the same as federal law enforcement officers, though TSA employees are not considered law enforcement.
The boost in pay has helped retain employees, particularly ahead of what promises to be a busy summer for the agency, according to TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
“Compared to last year, we have cut our attrition rates by almost half and increased our recruiting as a result of the TSA compensation plan that was funded in the budget passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden,” Pekoske said. “The traveling public is on the move, which is a sign of a healthy economy. We are ready, along with our airline and airport partners, to handle this boost in passenger volumes.”
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Despite the increase in travelers this weekend, the TSA maintained that passengers should not expect wait times in line to increase.
The public in standard screening lines can expect to be in and out of security in no more than 30 minutes, while passengers with TSA PreCheck status should plan to spend no more than 10 minutes at the security checkpoint.
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