U.S. screened 2.45 million air passengers Friday, highest since early 2020

[June 25, 2022]   (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 2.45 million air passengers on Friday, the highest daily number since February 2020.

Travelers wearing masks and not wearing masks wait in line at a security checkpoint at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., April 19, 2022. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

The number was the highest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but still below the 2.73 million screened on the same day in 2019. The high traffic was despite weather and staffing issues resulting in travel disruptions. On Friday, U.S. airlines canceled 711 flights and delayed more than 6,000, according to FlightAware.

Travelers are already facing a difficult U.S. travel summer as airlines expect record demand and as they rebuild staff levels after thousands of workers left the industry during the pandemic. A TSA spokesperson advised passengers to be prepared, saying on Twitter Saturday: "Get to the airport early, it’s busy!"

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Pravin Char)

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