The Fourth of July travel rush is currently underway, with record-breaking numbers of travelers expected over the holiday weekend. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), they are prepared to screen over 32 million people through July 8, representing a 5.4% increase compared to the same period last year.
Last Thursday, the TSA at Newark Airport set a new record for the most screenings in one day at TSA checkpoints at the airport, with 83,687 people being screened, marking the busiest day ever at a New Jersey airport. The previous Friday was the fourth busiest day for TSA, with 2.93 million people screened at airports nationwide.
Despite the success at Newark International Airport, the travel rush comes on the heels of an air traffic controller shortage that caused significant backups and an FAA ground stop at Newark Airport earlier this week. The disruption was due to a meltdown at the Tracon Facility in Westbury, Long Island, which manages airspace throughout the region.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants to relocate the controllers who handle New Jersey airspace from the Westbury facility to a similar one in Philadelphia, but the controllers have expressed reluctance to move. The facility handles flights for the three major airports in the region, leading to two-hour delays as a result of the disruption.
As the long holiday weekend comes to a close, the TSA is aiming to break the three million mark in screenings. For those planning their next vacation, 7 On Your Side’s Nina Pineda has tips on saving money when booking travel.
