All Things Travel: Long Lines At Logan
BOSTON (CBS) - Logan Airport is coming face-to-face with one of its biggest problems. Crowded terminals and record passenger traffic is causing longer waits at TSA security checkpoints.
The Boston airport is on its way to handling about 28 million passengers by the end of December.
Thursday is one of the two busiest days at Logan Airport as people leave on long weekends in the afternoon and business travelers return home after being away.
A change in the method of screening passengers in Terminal A, where TSA workers now ask a few questions to people, before they are screened. This new procedure has lead to long lines and a waiting time of more than 20 minutes for some people. Delta Air Lines has also been increasing the number of departing flights this year in the late afternoon and early evening hours. It has also added international flights to London and Paris for the first time.
In Terminal C, JetBlue continues to expand with over 100 daily flights. Massport just opened a new central security screening area after spending almost $60 million to build it. In the early morning hours, JetBlue has about 20 departures and the waiting time is often about 20 minutes, starting about 6 a.m.
The growth in both domestic and international early evening flights is also causing problems in Terminal E. On November 2, Air Tran is expected to move from Terminal C to Terminal E to join its new merger partner Southwest Airlines.
Currently there are over 1,300 full and part-time TSA employees working at Logan Airport.
Even though passengers are taking more bags on board aircraft, the Massport Board voted on August 15 to spend $140 million over the next three years to build new baggage screening facilities in all four terminals. Funding will come from the Authority, the FAA and the TSA.
Bob Weiss and "All Things Travel" can be heard weekends on WBZ NewsRadio 1030.
