Following weeks of lengthy lineups at Pittsburgh International Airport’s security checkpoint, modifications intended to reduce wait times have been made and are currently in place.
On Monday, Emma Swanson and her family met the lengthy lineups as they were traveling to Savannah, Georgia.
“We thought that it would be maybe a little bit more than we have seen in previous years,” Swanson stated. “But it’s been the longest I’ve seen in probably all my life.”
Even after making every effort to prepare, several folks were running late.
“We got here early,” traveler Ryan Johnson stated. “But we couldn’t check our bag until 4 o’clock – Air Canada opened.”
In an effort to shorten wait times, the Transportation Security Administration declared last month that it was altering the procedure for travelers using security checkpoint lanes.
Beginning on Monday morning, travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck will use the alternate security checkpoint between 4 and 7 a.m. on weekdays in order to accommodate the increased demand of traffic at the airport. During certain hours, the main checkpoint’s PreCheck lanes won’t be accessible.
Passengers using TSA PreCheck will be sent to the other checkpoint, and signs alerting travelers to the change will be shown within the terminal. Passengers in CLEAR will still need to travel through the main checkpoint.
For individuals with early morning flights, the TSA advises arriving at the airport two to three hours in advance of takeoff.
According to the airport, more workers were sent on Monday morning, and additional sensors were installed to accurately record wait times.
The security checkpoint will expand from seven to eleven lanes and become a single consolidated checkpoint when the new terminal opens in 2025, according to Allegheny County Airport Authority spokesperson Bob Kerlik. In the interim, the TSA is putting into place a temporary fix that they believe will shorten wait times.
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Record Number of Passengers
According to TSA, the number of travelers has increased “tremendously” during the last few months. Kerlik says things have been bustling at Pittsburgh International.
“So what we are seeing here at Pittsburgh International with record crowds is really a nationwide issue,” Kerlik stated. “And that is coupled with a lot of the new flights coming online nationwide, but also, just the appetite for … summer travel and post COVID.”
