The head of the Transportation Security Administration told a U.S. Senate committee Tuesday that progress has been made in reducing wait times at airport security checks.
99 percent of travelers over the five-day Memorial Day weekend waited less than 30 minutes in security lines, according to TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger. 93 percent waited less than 15 minutes.
TSA has decreased wait times by shifting its workforce to high-volume airports and adding screeners at peak travel times. It’s also investing in new technologies like automated screening lanes.
Two automated lanes installed in Atlanta last month sped up screening times by 30 percent, according to Neffenger.
Delaware’s senior Senator Tom Carper presided over the hearing. He said wait times will continue to shorten as more people sign up for pre-check screenings.
“Enrollments have already increased significantly, from 3,500 per day a year ago to roughly 16,000 a day in May,” he said.
Prescreen lines move 75 percent faster than regular security lines. Around 30 percent of passengers are currently prescreened.
TSA has also hired 768 new officers to help speed up screening times.
