TSA: More Agents Coming To Airports, But It Will Take A While
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It is the busy season for travel, but with more and more passengers, can the Transportation Security Administration workforce keep up with the numbers?
CBS2's Meg Baker found out what the agency is doing to keep the lines moving.
On a Thursday at Newark Liberty International Airport, 60,000 people are expected to pass through security.
"We know the wait times are long," said TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein.
Most people whom CBS2's Baker spoke to at a checkpoint said the worst thing about traveling is having to wind through security lines.
"I've missed flights before, I mean, seriously – especially during holidays," said traveler John Glass. "It's horrible – really, really bad."
"We waited about 45 minutes to get through security," said traveler Wendy Berryhill.
On Thursday, the TSA demonstrated just how long – first with no issues, and then with baggage checks. Prohibited items such as water, hairspray or a fake gun can really slow things down.
But what really is the holdup?
"We actually have fewer TSA officers working now than we did a year ago, two years ago, three years ago. And that's because as we launched TSA PreCheck, we expected more passengers to sign up for that," Farbstein said. "And so our budget request from Congress was less money for fewer officers "
Farbstein said the problem is being fixed with money from Congress that was reprogrammed to pay for overtime and hire more officers – 700 across the country. Newark will see a few more starting Monday.
"You're not going to see next-day impact for the officers that are coming in," said TSA spokesman Mark Howell. "It's a very long training process."
It will take more than a month.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recently called the TSA screening services inadequate, and may look to hire private security to do their job.
Pamela Newman is head of ISS Action. Her company is filling the TSA's role in Florida and hopes to do the same in the Tri-State Area.
"All of the security still is under TSA's standard operating procedure," Newman said. "It's the staffing that's different."
The TSA's response to being replaced?
"Airports are allowed to make that choice," she said.
Newman said incentivized employees are more efficient workers.
With Memorial Day Weekend and the Fourth of July approaching, the TSA encourages passengers to enroll in PreCheck, reminds them not to pack prohibited items, and advises arriving two hours before a flight.