Officials at the federal agency that screens airline passengers expect the busiest holiday travel season on record to cap off a turbulent year.
“We have experienced several record-breaking travel days this year, to include the busiest travel day this past Thanksgiving, so we are prepared for a very busy period leading up to Christmas and through the New Year holiday,” Transportation Security Administration Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement Tuesday.
Approximately 41 million people are expected to pass through security checkpoints at the 440 airports its personnel are stationed at from Dec. 19 to Jan. 5.
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The number of airline passengers traveling this season has jumped 6 percent from the same period last December and January.
“That’s a pretty healthy rate of growth. It reflects a very good economy and people wanting to travel,” Pekoske told reporters at Washington Dulles International Airport Tuesday. “We project that rate of growth to continue for the next several years.”
On average, 2.1 million passengers are screened by TSA officers every day. During the next two and a half weeks, 2.3 million people will pass through checkpoints on their way home or elsewhere.
Those traveling Thursday and Friday will see the largest crowds at the airports. On Friday, more than 2.7 million people will board flights nationwide.
Checkpoints will be staffed based on the number of flights leaving the airport and manifests, Pekoske said.
The TSA chief said that unlike passengers, his 45,000 personnel on the front line will be working through the holidays, including overnight shifts.
In the case of a government shutdown, all TSA officers stationed at airports will continue to work because they are considered essential employees.
