Security checkpoint lines moving smoothly at OIA despite glut of holiday travelers

ORLANDO, Fla. — Airports around the country are experiencing a glut of holiday travelers and delays at under-staffed TSA checkpoints are only getting worse.

At Orlando International Airport, though, things were going smoothly Friday morning as fliers lined up to head out of town.

Airport officials said 27 new service ambassadors have been hired, the use of K-9s has been increased increased at security checkpoints and TSA made a number of part-time employees full-time employees.

OIA officials said they anticipate about 62,000 travelers will come through the airport Friday. They anticpate more than 600,000 will come through OIA between Friday and Tuesday, which would be a 12 percent increase from last year.

'Having people in pre-check, we know a lot more about them (and) we can put them in the lower risk category, which speeds not only them through the process, but everyone else at the airport," said TSA's federal security director Jerry Henderson.

Officials said they went from a daily average of 3,000 pre-check enrollees to 16,000.

Traveler Walt Stern was impressed with how organized and quickly he was able to get through security at the airport.

“It’s actually going rather quickly, so far,” he said. “We left from Seattle and we had a much longer wait there, at Seattle, and here we’re going right through.”

The TSA has experienced backlash lately over long waits at security checkpoints across the country. Officials urged travelers to arrive to the airport two hours before their flight and prepare for long lines.

TSA officials blame the delays on a surge in passengers, increased security measures and a lack of adequate staffing.

Cox Media Group