Support NeoGAF

[RBH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUVR04CMBU




This is insane

Security lines at airports are getting longer — much longer — and wait times could reach epidemic levels when air travel peaks this summer, according to airlines, airports and federal officials.

A combination of fewer Transportation Security Administration screeners, tighter budgets, new checkpoint procedures and growing numbers of passengers is already creating a mess at airports around the country.

While federal security officials say they are hiring and training hundreds of additional screening officers, matters are not expected to improve anytime soon.

Airline and airport officials have said they fear that the current slowdown will last through the year, and could cause a summer travel meltdown when more than 220 million passengers are expected to fly during the peak travel months of July and August.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/03/business/airport-security-lines.html?_r=0

TSA administrator Peter Neffenger said the agency is doing all it can to cut the lengthy wait times at airport security checkpoints after backlash from the public and airlines.

However, he also told Congress Thursday that the TSA is struggling with a 10 percent attrition rate. That means there are nearly 5,000 fewer screening officers on the job today, compared to just a few years ago.

This does not bode well for summer travel.

The numbers are stark.

Between 2. 2 million and 3 million passengers pass through TSA screening daily. But there simply aren't enough TSA officers.

Roughly 117 walk off the job each week and 35 percent within the first year—more than 6,000 officers.

This has led to closed checkpoints and backups stretching one, two and even three hours at airports nationwide.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-work-long-airport-security-line-waits-n573796

 

[Hard]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcxwnGh7GIU

First thing that came to mind

 

[Ashhong]

Why is it so long?

 

[RastaMentality]

Video of Midway Airport going viral: https://youtube.com/watch?v=byUVR04CMBU

Catching a Flight? Budget Hours, Not Minutes, for Security

Security lines at airports are getting longer — much longer — and wait times could reach epidemic levels when air travel peaks this summer, according to airlines, airports and federal officials.

A combination of fewer Transportation Security Administration screeners, tighter budgets, new checkpoint procedures and growing numbers of passengers is already creating a mess at airports around the country.

While federal security officials say they are hiring and training hundreds of additional screening officers, matters are not expected to improve anytime soon.

Airline and airport officials have said they fear that the current slowdown will last through the year, and could cause a summer travel meltdown when more than 220 million passengers are expected to fly during the peak travel months of July and August.

“This is going to be a rough summer; there is no doubt about it,” said Gary Rasicot, who was recently appointed to a newly created position as the T.S.A.’s chief of operations. “We are probably not at the staffing level we would like to be to address the volume. This is why we are talking about people getting to the airport a little earlier than planned.”

TSA takes steps to combat long airport lines, but summer waits are forecast

WASHINGTON – Anticipating long lines at airport checkpoints this summer, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Friday that Transportation Security Administration officials would take aggressive steps to stretch its workforce by hiring more security screeners and allowing more officers to work overtime.

Still, Johnson warned, travelers will see long wait times as the agency at time of high security coincides with the busy summer travel season. Travelers and airline officials have complains of waits as long as two hours in some airports.

Johnson said he hoped the plan he outlined Friday at a press conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport would avert the possibility of even longer waits.

Johnson's 10-point plan includes hiring more TSA officers, paying more overtime, deploying more canine teams and using airline workers to handle non-security functions at the checkpoints, such as moving bins. Congress agreed Wednesday to allow TSA to shift $34 million between its accounts to expedite the hiring of 768 new officers by June 15 and pay overtime for its 42,500 officers.

"We want to keep people moving, but we want to keep passengers safe," he said. "There will be wait times as they move through aviation security checkpoints."

 

[RBH]

Why is it so long?

Updated the OP

 

[Deft Beck]

This is ridiculous. This isn't going to do anyone any favors, especially when it's shown that they barely do anything to prevent terrorist acts.

 

[Mindlog]

Clearly casing the line.
To the interrogation & cavity search room.

 

[i3allistic]

crap, i'm flying to cancun tomorrow morning ....i guess i'm going to the airport earlier then planned ...


a few of my co-worker came from TSA and have nothing but terrible things to say ....

 

[dejay]

One of the reasons why I'm hesitant on visiting the US again - being finger printed and frisked is a shitty way to say "welcome to our country" (yes I realise the people doing finger printing are a different organisation)

 

[ColdPizza]

This is why I fly at 6 in the morning. And my airport in Buffalo lets me skip because I have young children.

 

[TheCochese]

Why is it so long?

Come on, some one do it so I don't have to.

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

Fuck. I'm doing LAX to Chicago and back next weekend. Going to be awful.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Just further proof to sign up for TSA pre check. I paid the $90 last year, and it is good for five years. You get to bypass the line for a much shorter/non existent one, and you don't have to take off your coat, shoes, belt, or take your laptop out.

A trip to Florida last weekend went super quick because of it. I was through security in under 4 minutes one place, and under 1 minute in another airport.

 

[Cardon]

Damn. I remember Midway being such a breeze back in the day which is why I preferred it to O'Hare. Kinda glad I'm not going to E3 this year otherwise u would probably go apeshit and get detained.

 

[nabe_shogun]

Fuck. I'm doing LAX to Chicago and back next weekend. Going to be awful.

You might as well get in line now.

 

[CornBurrito]

GOOD idea from my wife. We like to take the day prior to the flight off and sleep at the airport. We then wake up to be sure we are the first in line. Little known fact: TSA serves coffee and biscuits to the early birds

 

[Grizzlyjin]

I'm curious how long it takes to get through that line.

 

[Jack Remington]

Wtf, I thought we'd moved past this.

My last 20 flights or so out of LAX have all had TSA lines of 10 minutes or less. I can't even remember my last flight where I waited longer than 20 minutes.

 

[Khaz]

Just further proof to sign up for TSA pre check. I paid the $90 last year, and it is good for five years. You get to bypass the line for a much shorter/non existent one, and you don't have to take off your coat, shoes, belt, or take your laptop out.

A trip to Florida last weekend went super quick because of it. I was through security in under 4 minutes one place, and under 1 minute in another airport.

Uh. What if a terrorist signed up for pre check?

 

[nicoga3000]

What about TSA pre check?

 

[CornBurrito]

Actually with lines this long wouldn't it just be better for terrorists to go right for the lines rather than the planes?

I think it is about time for some pre-TSA security protocols.

 

[Eyeron]

Jesus. I missed a 5:30am flight out of Seatac last week. Was not expecting 30 minutes to check in followed by 45 minutes to get through security that early. Despise flying.

 

[Ogodei]

I wonder if i could get a job at TSA. Not even a lower-level one (which probably suck), but they're probably looking for management too, which I could swing with a master's.

Gotta pay more than my current job, and any government job is a path to others...

 

[rjinaz]

Just saw a report on the news, that Skyharbor in Phoenix is tired of the lines and the service and are looking at booting the TSA out.

 

[WickedCobra03]

I had a flight at 6:00am out of O'Hare back home and ended up getting to the airport a few minutes after 4, got in line at like 4:10 and ended up taking until 5:40 to get through the line. That was crazy that I got soooo close to missing my flight.

How can the airport be that busy at 6am!?

 

[smokeandmirrors]

not that TSA isn't absolute garbage but thanks congress for slashing the budget. So either boot them out and end the charade or at least fund them so shit like this doesnt happen.

In other news people in the northeast might be better off taking amtrak DC, philly, nyc, or Boston if that's where you're headed. Northeast stays winning.

 

[nabe_shogun]

Just saw a report on the news, that Skyharbor in Phoenix is tired of the lines and the service and are looking at booting the TSA out.

I would welcome this. I have to fly out of there in August.

Although to be fair, I've never waited more than 20 min in line at sky harbor.

 

[Jarrod38]

And here I want to go to DC this summer. Wonder how bad the lines will be at Columbus.

 

[Yaboosh]

GOOD idea from my wife. We like to take the day prior to the flight off and sleep at the airport. We then wake up to be sure we are the first in line. Little known fact: TSA serves coffee and biscuits to the early birds

Lol. Good idea! Skip a two hour line by sleeping in an airport!

 

[RBH]

TSA administrator Peter Neffenger said the agency is doing all it can to cut the lengthy wait times at airport security checkpoints after backlash from the public and airlines.

However, he also told Congress Thursday that the TSA is struggling with a 10 percent attrition rate. That means there are nearly 5,000 fewer screening officers on the job today, compared to just a few years ago.

This does not bode well for summer travel.

The numbers are stark.

Between 2. 2 million and 3 million passengers pass through TSA screening daily. But there simply aren't enough TSA officers.

Roughly 117 walk off the job each week and 35 percent within the first year—more than 6,000 officers.

This has led to closed checkpoints and backups stretching one, two and even three hours at airports nationwide.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-work-long-airport-security-line-waits-n573796

 

[Lemaitre]

Jesus. I missed a 5:30am flight out of Seatac last week. Was not expecting 30 minutes to check in followed by 45 minutes to get through security that early. Despise flying.

I love flying but hate the process of getting my ass to the seat.

Well fuck me.

 

[Messofanego]

Adam Ruins Everything - Why the TSA Doesn't Stop Terrorist Attacks

It's just illusion of safety. "The TSA does nothing but violate your privacy and waste your time".

 

[Chris R]

PreCheck paid for itself at Denver, O'Hare and LAX this year. O'Hare was the longest line at like 10 minutes, and only long because TSA was sending non-PreCheck people into the line.

If you are going to fly more than once a year, get PreCheck.

 

[brian577]

My first time flying solo this summer. Oh goody, DIA should be loads of fun.

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

Gotta love security theater.

 

[Jedi2016]

Hm. I'm flying next month, but one end of it is a tiny local airport, so that should take all of three minutes. The return flight will probably be a bitch, and I hope I don't have to change terminals at my connection...

 

[LyleLanley]

TSA Pre and Global Entry or bust.

 

[jabuseika]

Fuck. I'm doing LAX to Chicago and back next weekend. Going to be awful.

 

[Cyan]

Time to shell out the cash for pre check I guess. :/

 

[GaimeGuy]

If someone really wanted to do damage, all they would have to do is attack the airport terminal. A bunch of people herded up like cattle to go through security, and anyone can just walk in the front door whenever they please.

The Department of Homeland Security never should have been formed, and the TSA was better when it was under the DoT.

 

[Big-E]

Travelling to the US is the worst. Special fucking lines only for them in Canadian airports. Would never willingly take a connection going through the states.

 

[Yaboosh]

Hm. I'm flying next month, but one end of it is a tiny local airport, so that should take all of three minutes. The return flight will probably be a bitch, and I hope I don't have to change terminals at my connection...

I don't think I have ever had to leave and reenter security ever when getting a connecting flight.

 

[Calamari41]

Has the TSA ever even foiled a terrorist?

I don't think I have ever had to leave and reenter security ever when getting a connecting flight.

If you're coming from out of the country and are connecting to another city in the US, you have to go through customs, get your bags from the belt, and re-enter as if you're just arriving at the airport.

 

[HideyoshiJP]

Uh. What if a terrorist signed up for pre check?

They probably didn't think of that. You're gonna ruin it for everybody.

 

[jabuseika]

In a hypothetical situation, if you were a terrorist, wouldn't it be more convenient to bomb a TSA line, than an actual airplane...

Do we then need TSA lines for the TSA line?

 

[DrFunk]

Hartsfield is a fucking mess

 

[How About No]

Thank fuck I never fly

If someone really wanted to do damage, all they would have to do is attack the airport terminal. A bunch of people herded up like cattle to go through security, and anyone can just walk in the front door whenever they please.

The Department of Homeland Security never should have been formed, and the TSA was better when it was under the DoT.

Scary thought :/

 

[chaobreaker]

Uh. What if a terrorist signed up for pre check?

They probably have a well-vetted no-fly list that they should be referring to in the first place instead of wasting everyone's time!

 

[Jailer of Hope]

Fuck. I'm doing LAX to Chicago and back next weekend. Going to be awful.

The traffic around LAX is worse than any of the security I've experienced there.

 

[ColdPizza]

In a hypothetical situation, if you were a terrorist, wouldn't it be more convenient to bomb a TSA line, than an actual airplane...

Do we then need TSA lines for the TSA line?

I wondered this myself. I guess the Brussels bombing was the precursor to this.