Law Enforcement Agencies Offer Tips Ahead of the Busy Summer Travel Season
Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer travel season, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are getting ready for a busy summer by air and by land.
TSA Takes Action to Reduce Delays
TSA says that Friday, May 26, 2023, is expected to be the busiest day of the Memorial Day weekend with the agency expecting to screen 2.6 million passengers. That continues a recent trend of robust airline travel. On Friday, May 19 and Sunday, May 21, more than 2.65 million passengers passed through security checkpoints, the most since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Speaking at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the nation’s busiest airport, TSA Administrator David Pekoske outlined the agency’s plans to handle the demand and keep passenger wait times to a minimum. Administrator Pekoske praised the pay raise for TSA employees contained in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 omnibus government funding bill.
“TSA is ready to handle this summer’s anticipated increase in travel. Our staffing levels are better and this is largely due to better pay for all TSA employees which starts on July 1st,” said Administrator Pekoske. “This has already improved our recruiting and retention rates.”
As for summer preparations, TSA is using its national deployment force of approximately 1,000 employees who volunteer to be dispatched to other airports during busy periods.
The agency also aims to keep security wait times to 30 minutes or less in standard lines and 10 minutes or less at TSA PreCheck.
Speaking of PreCheck, TSA says teenagers ages 13-17 can now accompany TSA PreCheck enrolled parents or guardians through TSA PreCheck screening when traveling on the same reservation and when the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the teen’s boarding pass. Children 12 and under can do so anytime when traveling with a TSA PreCheck approved parent or guardian.
Improving Technology
TSA highlighted some of the new technology that’s available at airports to speed up the screening process. That includes Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) which can “confirm the authenticity of a passenger’s identification credentials, along with their flight details and pre-screening status (such as TSA PreCheck) all without a boarding pass.”
Several airports are also using second generation CAT technology called CAT-2, which takes a real-time photo of the traveler at the document check-in platform.
TSA is also deploying Computed Tomography (CT), which improves scanning and threat detection technology for carry-on bags. It gives officers the “ability to review a 3D image of passengers’ bags and reduce the need to physically search the contents of the bag.”
TSA offered the following tips to speed up the security process at busy airports:
· Be aware of new checkpoint technology and follow guidance from officers.
· Make sure you carry acceptable ID.
· Respect TSA and other airport employees.
· Allow plenty of time.
· Start packing with an empty bag and now what’s allowed.
· If a PreCheck member, know your Known Traveler Number (KTN)
· Contact TSA with questions, compliments, complaints, or requests for assistance.
By Land
The roads are expected to be quite busy as well over Memorial Day weekend, with the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimating that 37 million Americans will drive at least 50 miles to their destination, up two million from last year.
Canada is expected to be a popular destination, given that both the U.S. and Canada have removed their Covid-19 vaccination requirement for travelers. With that in mind, the CBP Buffalo office released the following tips for those traveling into and out of Canada.
· Make sure you carry the appropriate travel documents.
· Check border wait times and plan ahead for a smoother, shorter crossing.
· Travel during non-peak times if possible.
· Prepare for the inspection process by having your documents ready, rolling down vehicle windows, and removing hats and sunglasses.
· Declare goods.
· Travelers are encouraged to visit the “Know Before You Go” section of the CBP website.
"As the peak summer travel season approaches, it is important to be prepared when crossing into the United States from Canada, so that CBP can process travelers in the most efficient manner possible,” said Donald Kusser, Acting Director of the CBP Buffalo Field Office.