The Transportation Security Administration is expecting 17.4 million passengers to pass through its checkpoints between Aug. 28 and Sept. 3 for Labor Day getaways (and some other travel), and the agency said it’s hard at work to make sure the experience is as smooth as possible for travelers.
The TSA’s Acting Deputy Administrator, Adam Stahl, spoke to USA TODAY and offered guidance on what travelers can expect this holiday weekend and discussed some of the agency’s longer-term strategies to make airport security more seamless and less stressful for all.
Among Stahl’s top tips were arriving at the airport with plenty of time for potentially long security lines and familiarizing yourself with the TSA’s rules.
Here’s what he wants travelers to know.
Plan ahead
The best thing Stahl said travelers can do to ensure a smooth security experience is to plan ahead and get to the airport early.
“I would encourage individuals, travelers, both folks that are traveling solo and with families, to really plan ahead, to please arrive at the airport with plenty of time,” he said. “Please be patient, respectful. Our TSA workforce is really laser-focused on delivering a best-in-class experience.”
The holiday weekend travel rush could mean long lines at TSA checkpoints, so it’s a good idea for travelers to leave themselves a little extra time to navigate the airport.
Know the rules
Stahl also said that knowing what TSA does and doesn’t allow at its security checkpoints, such as liquid restrictions and other regulations, can make for a smoother experience.
“Just be patient, plan ahead, and arrive at the airport and checkpoint with plenty of time,” he said.
The TSA has a comprehensive list of what is and isn’t allowed through airport security and in checked luggage on its website.
Stahl also acknowledged that there can be some variability in exact screening procedures from airport to airport, based on the technology deployed at each facility and the threat assessments of local officials. So, he said, it’s important to pay attention to TSA officers at the screening checkpoint as well.
“A lot of this is tailored, and there’s a method to the madness,” he said.
Passengers go through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The TSA wants travelers to arrive to the airport with plenty of time during the Labor Day weekend rush.
Reach out with questions
In addition to its online resources, the TSA has a variety of ways travelers can get in touch with specific inquiries or concerns through its AskTSA messenger platforms, as well as by phone and email.
More info about how to get in touch is available on the TSA’s website.
Take advantage of resources
Stahl said the TSA continues to work to streamline the security screening process, including by making TSA Precheck enrollment easier and introducing measures such as family and military screening lanes at select airports.
“We’re continuing to focus on serving all American travelers and delivering a product that we’re proud of and continuing to be responsive to the traveling public and everyday Americans,” he said. “We want to deliver and tailor our products as best we can to ease travel for a variety of populations.”
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Plans for TSA
Stahl said the agency is also actively evaluating its procedures and working to find ways to make screening both quicker and safer. He said that a major policy under review is the liquid restriction, and although the agency is not prepared to make any changes at the moment, he said, he hopes to have an update to those rules soon.
“We continue to look at that, we’re going to continue to look at that,” Stahl said. “We’re going to continue to assess from a risk posture perspective.”
Beyond that, he said, the TSA continues to evaluate new technologies such as e-gates that can be used to make its screening procedures more efficient.
“We’re continuing to evolve and modernize to serve the American traveler and the American citizen every single day,” he said.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TSA’s Labor Day tricks for faster screening