US Airlines Forecast Busy Summer Travel

Summer travel on US airlines is expected to reach an all-time high this year, trade group Airlines for America said, adding to concern that passengers could face even longer waits at security checks.

About 231 million passengers will fly on US airlines between June and August, up 4 percent from the same period last year, the Washington-based group said in a news release. That estimate amounts to an extra 95,500 passengers per day, on average.

The group called on the US Transportation Security Administration to hire and train new staff to cut waiting times at airports. Security wait times have stretched to longer than two hours at some US airports this spring.

US airlines have encouraged customers to signup in pre-screening known as TSA PreCheck to help expedite security checks.

Jeh Johnson, secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA, said on Friday that Congress had approved his request for USD$34 million to hire additional officers and pay overtime to manage the long lines.