More airport security screeners needed in wake of record travelers

As Dulles International Airport tries to deal with having one of the largest baggage screener shortages in the country, TSA officials are predicting a record summer for air travel.

Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday that it’s preparing for a record 200 million summer air travelers nationwide. At Dulles and Reagan National Airport, TSA officials are searching for more screeners to increase security for the flood of passengers expected between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

“We will be ready for the summer traveler,” said TSA Darrin Kayser.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is expecting at least a repeat of last year when 12.3 million passengers traveled airports, including 7.6 million through Dulles.

“We expect those numbers again. It’s crunch time,” said MWAA spokeswoman Tara Hamilton.

But according to a report by the Government Accountability Office, the number of screeners at some checkpoints is not sufficient for peak periods. TSA recently changed the way it hires screeners. Previously, TSA used a national company that hired and did background checks. Now security directors must do the hiring for the airports. The change caused a hitch in the hiring and TSA officials are trying to hold on to the screeners they have to close the gap.

To prepare for the summer, TSA this last month began paying bonus es to screeners for staying on the job. TSA agreed to spend $20 million to give up to a $1,000 bonus to the nations 43,000 screeners.

The airports authority will try to help shorten the lines at Dulles and Reagan by hiring 150 student ambassadors to assist travelers and distribute checkpoint bins to save time. A video will be shown at all the checkpoints to inform passengers about prohibited items. And plastic bags and slippers will be given to passengers before going through the screening equipment.

Travelers also can take steps to make the lines shorter: Get to the airport early; keep boarding pass in hand; and be ready to put items on the screening belt.

Airport banned items

» TSA Security Officers intercept more than 1.2 million prohibited items a month, including approximately 30,000 lighters a day.

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