TSA has been criticized for allegedly failing to properly allocate billions of dollars to alleviate the chaos at JFK
TSA is failing to properly allocate billions of dollars in funds to alleviate the ongoing travel chaos at Queens’ JFK airport — and things are only going to get worse in November and December, Sen. Chuck Schumer warns.
The New York Democrat said he told Transportation Security Administration chief David Pekoske Thursday, “Airports throughout New York City cannot be known for hours-long TSA queues.”
“I’ve been working to get the TSA the federal funding it needs to meet the requirements here, and now they have to deliver.”
More than $9 billion has been approved for TSA improvements in the recent $1.7 trillion sweeping omnibus spending bill, including $4 million for increased hiring of security officers.
That New York’s busiest airport takes the top spot for wasting time will come as no surprise to ailing travelers.
“On the TSA line at JFK, people are crammed into a sardine for hours at a time!” Schumer said. “Waiting for hours in the security lines at New York airports is unacceptable, especially considering the resources exist to avoid it.”
Bounce, a business travel booking site, used online wait times reported by US Customs and Border Protection and TSA to find dates between April 26, 2022 and April 25, 2023.
The website said the results showed that travelers at Kennedy Airport waited an average of 22 minutes and 48 seconds at security checkpoints.
Their average wait time at passport control was 25 minutes and 36 seconds, for a combined average wait time of 48 minutes and 24 seconds.
“Billions have been secured for TSA — specifically for the New York service,” said Schumer’s spokesman, Angelo Roefaro.
“What is the delay in hiring and training new agents?”
The TSA did not respond to a Post request for comment.
