Is the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) doing a good job? Opinions vary widely depending on the experiences and perspectives of each individual. The TSA’s primary role is to ensure the security of transportation systems in the United States, particularly airports and aircraft. They implement various security measures, such as passenger and baggage screening, to prevent threats to aviation security. Let’s look at some numbers.
On Sunday, June 23, TSA broke the record for most people screened on a single day, screening nearly 2.99 million individuals and again on Sunday, July 7 the TSA screened a record-breaking 3 million passengers. Seven of the top 10 busiest travel days ever occurred in the month of June.
These record-breaking travel volumes reflect the huge role TSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have in securing the United States’s transportation systems, while ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce, which is vital to the economy.
TSA clearly anticipated and predicted the peak travel days around the Fourth of July holidays, estimating they would screen more than 3 million individuals. TSA says it was staffed appropriately to meet wait time standards, which they set as 10 minutes and under in TSA PreCheck lanes and 30 minutes and under in standard screening lanes.
“We expect this summer to be our busiest ever and summer travel usually peaks over the Independence Day holiday,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske, recently. “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. 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.”
TSA intercepted 3,269 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first half of 2024. The first half of the year ended June 30 and the total represents an average of 18 firearms detected per day at TSA checkpoints; more than 94% were loaded, it said in a recent press release.
While the number of firearms discovered during this period last year is nearly the same at 3,251, the total number of passengers increased. TSA has screened nearly 7% more passengers during the first half of 2024 than during the same period in 2023. During the second quarter of 2024, TSOs screened more than 236 million passengers, compared to more than 221 million passengers in the second quarter of 2023.
In the first eight days of July, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) nationwide intercepted 166 additional firearms, bringing the total through July 8 to 3,435 firearms. The rate of passengers with firearms during the most recent quarter was 7.5 firearms per one million passengers, which is a slight decrease from the same period in 2023, when the rate of discovery was 7.9 firearms per one million passengers.
For these efforts, it is right to praise the TSA for enhancing aviation security and preventing potential terrorist threats. In spite of some inconveniences, passengers surely appreciate the visible security measures and screening procedures that are aimed at keeping travelers safe.
Some people might find reasons to criticize the TSA, such as long security lines, invasive screening procedures, perceived inefficiencies and occasional incidents of misconduct or errors. Such criticisms often highlight concerns over privacy, inconvenience and the effectiveness of some security protocols.
Regardless of whether you laud them or not, TSA is continuing to modernize airport security checkpoints across the country with a focus on enhanced detection methods to best secure the aviation system. If you haven’t flown in a while, you are likely to encounter a second generation of credential authentication technology (CAT) units at travel document checking podiums at certain airports.
These CAT units ensure the authenticity of a passenger’s ID and match the face of the passenger with the face on the ID by snapping a photo of the person who is presenting the ID. After the CAT unit validates the ID, the photo is deleted and travelers who prefer not to have their photo taken may opt out and the TSA officer will validate the traveler’s ID without the use of a photo.
TSA recently added Aer Lingus, Air New Zealand, Ethiopian Airlines and Saudia to its TSA PreCheck program. Nearly 100 airlines now participate in the program.
It must be a delicate and difficult process to manage a record number of passengers in a single month, but TSA had the infrastructure, staffing and procedures to handle the peak demand. TSA ensured that security standards were not compromised during this time.
While it’s impressive from an operational standpoint, passengers’ experiences also matter. Long lines and wait times can detract from the overall travel experience. TSA worked hard to balance efficiency with passenger convenience. This doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
Ultimately, whether the TSA is doing a good job is a complex issue with many factors to consider, including safety, efficiency, public perception and the evolving nature of security threats. Overall, hats off to TSA for a job well-done.