MILWAUKEE — Delays, lost luggage, and long lines are all side-effects of the airline industry struggling to get back on its feet after massive layoffs and losses during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Across the country, the TSA is screening more than 2 million passengers every day, which is nearing 2019 numbers.
So the advice from the TSA is the same advice you'll get from local officials at Mitchell Airport, give yourself extra time. Arriving two hours early is the recommendation right now.
And while we are seeing a return to pre-pandemic travel volume, the way we travel is changing. You'll see more acrylic barriers as you move through TSA checkpoints and new, touch-less technology.
"You might notice, it's not in place at every checkpoint, all the time but there are times when you approach the TSA officer and he says I don't need your boarding pass, I only need your ID. We have a machine called credential authentication technology where when we scan your ID to verify it's authentic it also tells us that you're flying out that day," said Jessica Mayle, a TSA regional spokeswoman.
And with new technology in place, things may have changed since the last time you were at an airport, so pay attention to the instructions from TSA officers. That will help things move along quickly.
