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TSA prepares for busy summer travel season

Published

2 weeks ago

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According to the release, TSA expects to have the highest level of passenger traffic at both national and upstate New York airports during this summer’s travel season that extends through Labor Day.

The release states, since May of this year, TSA has seen 10 of its busiest days in 22 years of the agency’s history. The typical number of passengers, approximately 2.5 million per day, increased by several hundred thousand each day. With the uptick in travelers, TSA is prioritizing proper safety practices.

“Here at Albany International Airport we also are seeing a spike in checkpoint volume,” TSA Federal Security Director Bart R. Johnson said in a statement. “Travel volume expected out of Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo is expected to be high. Our teams have been in close coordination with airport, airline and travel partners, and we are more than ready to handle this summer’s increased travel volumes as we approach the July 4th holiday.”

According to the TSA, it is working to further advance security checkpoints to modernize detection methods and increase safety, including a new generation of credential authentication technology (CAT) units. These units are used to verify passenger identities through image scanning and photographing.

“The best advice that I can offer is to get to the airport well before your ticketed departure time,” Johnson said in a statement. “We ask that the traveling public do their part in efficient checkpoint screening by arriving to the airport at least two hours prior to their scheduled flight departure and know what they can — and cannot pack — in their carry-on luggage.”


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As TSA prepares for the summer season, the agency urges everyone to be mindful while packing and ensure they do not bring any prohibited items. TSA offers a “What Can I Bring?” tool to assist passengers in this process, according to the release.

Additionally, the press release reminds travelers of the specific regulations pertaining to traveling with a firearm.

It states “passengers may travel with a firearm, but it must be secured in the passenger’s checked baggage; packed unloaded; locked in a hard-sided case; and declared to the airline when checking in at the airline ticket counter. If a passenger brings a firearm to the security checkpoint on their person or in their carry-on luggage, TSA will contact local law enforcement to safely unload and take possession of the firearm. Law enforcement may also arrest or cite the passenger, depending on local law. TSA may impose a civil penalty up to $15,000 when weapons are intercepted, and passengers will lose TSA PreCheck eligibility.”

TSA also advises travelers to make sure they bring proper forms of identification, with examples of acceptable identification on its website. Lastly, TSA encourages everyone to travel safely and respectfully this summer.