tsa security airport line

TSA Screened Record Number of Travelers During July Fourth Weekend

The agency said it screened over 11.9 million passengers and crew as well as over 8 million checked bags during the holiday travel period.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Jul 12, 2019

The Transportation Security Administration, tasked with screening airplane passengers across the U.S., experienced one of its busiest travel periods ever during this year’s July Fourth weekend, the agency announced Thursday.

On July 7, the TSA screened 2,795,014 passengers and crew nationwide — the highest number ever recorded by the agency, surpassing a record set earlier this year during Memorial Day weekend. From July 3 to July 7, over 11.9 million passengers and crew went through TSA checkpoints, and over 8 million checked bags were examined by agents.

Travelers were originally worried about long security lines during the holiday, particularly after the TSA diverted 350 employees to the southern border to assist Customs and Border Protection agents. But the agency reported that 99.7 percent of passengers waited less than 30 minutes in line.

“The operational success we experienced over the July Fourth holiday weekend is a testament to the combined efforts of our dedicated workforce and industry alliances,” Patricia Cogswell, the acting deputy administrator of the TSA, said in a statement. “What I’m most proud of isn’t just the quantity of passengers and checked bags screened, but the quality of the screening our people provided even with that tremendous volume.”

The agency typically screens about 2.2 million passengers and crew members each day. Each day of the Independence Day travel period, except for July 4 itself, exceeded that average, the TSA said.

Eight of the TSA’s top 10 busiest travel days ever have been recorded this year, according to data provided by the agency. In its release, the TSA said it “expects many more record-breaking periods” this summer and continues to advise passengers to show up two hours before domestic flights and three hours before flying internationally.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area. 3