NEWARK — If you think that it has been more congested than usual at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), you are not imagining things, according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials.
TSA at EWR had its busiest day in history Thursday, and then immediately surpassed that record the very next day, on Friday. How busy was it? Friday’s record-setting day saw 80,596 passengers and crew members screened at TSA checkpoints, the first time ever that volume of travelers surpassed 80,000 at the airport’s checkpoints.
All five of the top busiest days at EWR have occurred this year.
Top five busiest days for TSA at Newark Liberty International Airport
|
Rank |
Date |
Volume of passengers and crew members screened at checkpoints |
|
1 |
8-9-19 |
80,596 |
|
2 |
8-8-19 |
79,467 |
|
3 |
4-18-19 |
78,811 |
|
4 |
6-27-19 |
78,807 |
|
5 |
8-1-19 |
78,518 |
“This increase in passenger traffic is exactly why we remind travelers of the importance of getting to the airport two hours prior to a domestic flight and three hours prior to an international flight,” said Tom Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “The passenger volume has increased to record levels, from the parking lots to check-in counters to the security checkpoints, so passengers should allow themselves plenty of time to get to their terminal early to get to their gates.”
Carter also recommended that travelers listen for helpful guidance that the TSA officers are providing at checkpoints. “Our officers are focused on security and safety of travelers, and the checkpoint process is most efficient when travelers come prepared and follow the guidance that the TSA officers are providing.”
Carter also recommended that travelers have a high awareness of the contents of their carry-on bags to ensure that they are not carrying any prohibited items to the checkpoint because doing so will slow down the process. He pointed to last week when three travelers were arrested for possessing prohibited items in their carry-on bags. One traveler was in possession of an illegal air soft gun and two others were in possession of expandable batons. These instances also result in delays in checkpoint lines.
Passengers with questions about whether an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither, they can reach out to TSA in several ways:
- Visit the TSA.gov’s “What can I bring?” page to type in an item.
- Use social media. Tweet your question to @AskTSA or reach out via Facebook Messenger.
- Download the free MyTSA app and use the “What can I bring?” feature.