Record Breaking Travel Season Keeps TSA Busy

With the approach of September 11th, Americans are reminded of security, especially when it comes to air travel. The Transportation Security Administration just wrapped up their busiest summer ever. The agency screened more than 250 million travelers. TSA marks the summer travel season as the Wednesday before Memorial Day all the way to the Tuesday after Labor Day. The screenings were a 3.4% increase over last year during the same time period. In addition to passenger screenings, 162 million pieces of checked baggage were screened as well. The TSA says that they experienced nine of the top 10 busiest weeks in its history. The agency notes that even with the surge of travelers this season, 99.7% of passengers waited less than 30 minutes in standard lanes, and 98.9% of TSA PreCheck lane passengers waited less than 10 minutes. Acting Deputy Administrator for the TSA Patricia Cogswell said that the anniversary of the September 11th attacks is a regular reminder of the importance of the TSA’s mission to protect the traveling public.