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PHOENIX — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is prepared to handle an increase in the number of travelers who will be flying out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) as well as other airports across Arizona as travel volume picks up this month and into the summer.
Typically, from late May through Labor Day Weekend, TSA sees a sustained period of increased checkpoint volume. During the global pandemic, passenger volume fell dramatically. This year, TSA expects to see the travel volume making a recovery with leisure, business and international travel showing signs of recovery. TSA officers across the country are currently screening approximately 2.2 million people daily, which is a significant increase from last year.
“We have started to see increased traveler volume at airport security checkpoints,” said Jerry Agnew, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Arizona. “Travel volume here at PHX has surpassed pre-pandemic levels and statewide it is on par with what we saw in 2019. Nationally we expect to see travel rebound to near or above pre-pandemic levels this summer. It is likely that airports in Arizona will be busier than we’ve seen in a long time.”
Due to the increase in passenger volume, “my advice is to get to the airport two hours before your scheduled flight,” Agnew said. “Keep in mind that many individuals have not flown in a very long time and people have forgotten many of our security protocols, which means it is taking somewhat longer to screen travelers.”
As travelers fly out of PHX Airport and from other locations, they may come across new state-of-the-art technologies installed such as credential authentication technology, which verifies the validity of someone’s ID and computed tomography 3-D scanners that give TSA officers a clear 360-degree X-ray image of the contents of someone’s carry-on bags. “Travelers who are unfamiliar with these technologies should listen to the guidance that TSA officers are providing because they may be helping you navigate through the latest state-of-the-art technologies that are new to you,” Agnew said.
TSA is no longer requiring travelers to wear masks, however they remain optional and a TSA officer will ask a traveler with a mask to remove it momentarily to verify that the person’s face matches the face on their ID.
Due to the on-going pandemic, the agency is still allowing travelers to bring one liquid hand sanitizer container up to 12 ounces per passenger in carry-on bags until further notice. Passengers can expect that these containers larger than the standard allowance of 3.4 ounces of liquids permitted through a checkpoint will need to be screened separately, which will add some time to their checkpoint experience.
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