MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) set a one-day record on Feb. 5 for the number of people the agency screened through security checkpoints. On “Get Away Monday,” following Super Bowl LII, TSA at MSP screened 60,883 people.
The previous record was set in March 2017 when TSA at MSP screened 47,200 people. On an average day, TSA screens about 34,000 people through the security checkpoints at MSP.
TSA at MSP also screened 34,368 checked bags, a record. On an average day, the number of checked bags is closer to 17,900.
“Team MSP offered up an amazing farewell from the Bold North of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis,” said Cliff Van Leuven, TSA Federal Security Director for Minnesota. “I couldn’t be more pleased and proud after getting so many positive comments from passengers and staff yesterday. What a game and what a “day-after-the-game” by our team.”
Planning for “Get Away Monday” has been ongoing for more than a year. Additional resources were on hand to supplement the workforce at MSP including more than 100 TSA officers from other airports.
Twenty Passenger Screening Canines (PSC), which are specially trained to detect explosives and explosive components, and their handlers were used to expedite the screening process for travelers departing MSP. Some of the teams work regularly at MSP while others have come from airports in the Midwest to support MSP’s Super Bowl LII activities.
With these additional resources, TSA was able to keep every security checkpoint lane open in Terminals 1 and 2 at MSP throughout the day, ensuring maximum efficiency of security operations. The response from the public on social media was overwhelmingly positive. Here are some examples:
- Very impressed with how efficiently the teams from Delta, MSP Airport and TSA handled the crowds this morning!
- Absolutely fantastic TSA screening experience this morning at MSP Airport. Super-efficient and secure screening in nine minutes’ flat start to finish. You should be proud.
- Hats off to the team at MSP today! Clearly a great deal of work went into planning and executing the coordination for these high volumes - traffic control, extra guest services personnel, security personnel, etc. As a regular business traveler, I appreciate how hard you work all year, but wanted to especially recognize your efforts today!
- Huge props to TSA at MSP Airport! You moved the lines swiftly and kept smiles on your faces (and ours)!
- Way to go MSP Airport! Got through TSA lightning fast and it was a quick and painless experience! Great work!
- MSP Airport TSA well done! Super Bowl exit was friendly, efficient and frustration-free!
- Best part? It only took us about 20 minutes from the start of the bag drop line to the end of security. It was my best airport experience yet!
TSA operations at MSP are expected to return to normal very soon. In fact, today’s projected passenger load is expected to be around 38,800.