As the summer travel season quickly approaches, several TSA officials have come together to share important reminders and tips for travelers.
SARASOTA, Fla. — As Sarasota area residents prepare for the summer travel season, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials have come together to share important tips and reminders for travelers to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
Although the airport survived spring break, traffic volume remains at an all-time high, causing congestion issues at all area airports, according to Kirk Skinner, TSA's federal security director for the Greater Tampa Bay.
“Sarasota has seen incredible growth,” Skinner said. “They are carrying at least 1,000 more passengers than last year, and we expect to see more increases in the years to come.”
That growth has led to numerous expansion projects, including one to address parking at the airport, which Skinner said is a persistent problem. Given this high traffic volume, people want to know if TSA will be fast enough to help them get to their flight on time. However, Skinner said the responsibility lies with passengers, not the TSA.
“TSA is not about speed,” Skinner said. “TSA’s goal is to screen every passenger and baggage effectively and efficiently.”
Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo added that the only problem his TSA team encounters is impatient passengers.
“People need to remember that this is one of the few jobs in the world where you have to be 100 percent right or people can get killed,” Piccolo said. “When they get impatient at a security check, I think they need to keep in mind that they're just trying to protect you.”
Piccolo added that it takes about 10 to 20 minutes to get through a security checkpoint in Sarasota Bradenton during rush hour.
While Skinner said people should arrive two to three hours early to be sure to catch their flight, Piccolo says 90 minutes before should be effective.
For more information and safety tips from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, Click here.
