Airline blames excessive security queues for 70,000 missed flights
American Airlines has revealed more than 70,000 passengers have missed flights this year due to excessive wait times at US Transport Security Administration checkpoints.
More than 40,000 checked bags were also delayed, according to Kerry Philipovitch, customer experience senior vice president for the carrier.
Philipovitch told a House Homeland Security subcommittee of the scale of the problem at the nation’s airports.
"To say customers are agitated is putting it mildly, and the public outcry has resonated," she said.
"The result is a screening process that’s causing unacceptably long security lines and a frustrated flying public."
Philipovitch said ‘three contributing factors’ are adding to travellers’ misery.
"It appears TSA did not adjust its staffing model after screening protocols were changed. Second, TSA is experiencing abnormally high attrition and is not able to retain transportation security officers. Third, the TSA Pre-Check program, which allows low-risk passengers to go through expedited screening has not met enrollment goals," she said.
"All of these factors combined caused a systemic slowdown in passenger processing at security checkpoints, resulting in delays and missed flights."
Airlines have urged all passengers to arrive at least two hours early for flights in the run up to the busy Memorial Day holiday, on Monday May 30.
TSA is adding extra canine teams and bringing in an extra 500 agents ahead of the busy summer travel season.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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