TSA Passenger Numbers Hit 1 Million In One Day For First Time Since March

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more passengers Sunday than on any other day since the pandemic started, hinting at a possible revival of travel in the U.S.

In a press release, the TSA said it screened more than 1 million passengers Sunday, “representing the highest number of passengers screened at TSA checkpoints since March 17, 2020.” Records show that the exact number stood at 1,031,505. The last time the number of travelers surpassed 1 million was on March 16.

Another hopeful sign for the airline industry was that the TSA screened close to 6.1 million passengers from Oct. 12 to Oct. 18, which was the highest weekly volume during the pandemic.

The coronavirus has devastated the airline industry in the U.S. and across the world. The airlines are bleeding money as travel demand continues to slump as passenger volumes fell continuously during the pandemic. On Apr. 14, TSA recorded around 87,000 screenings, the lowest during the pandemic.

“Passenger volumes remain well below pre-pandemic levels, but the one million single-day passenger volume is a noteworthy development that follows significant TSA checkpoint modifications in response to COVID-19 outbreak,” TSA wrote in the release.

The public authority also explained new health and security protocol active on airports across the country in the wake of the pandemic. There are steps being taken to reduce contact between passengers and TSA agents. New acrylic plastic barriers, new ID readers to scan passenger information, and new CT scanners are also present at some airports to clear suspicious items in carry-ons without having to open them.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has predicted that it will be at least four years before air travel touches pre-pandemic levels. Many commercial airlines across the world have closed down buckling under pressure from the pandemic. Major airlines, including United and American Airlines, have furloughed thousands of employees to survive. In order to prevent job losses, Southwest Airlines announced that employees will have to agree on pay cuts. The industry is desperate for a top-up of government aid, which expired on Oct. 1.