INSIDER
Travelers are getting a head start on the long Labor Day weekend
Read full article: Travelers are getting a head start on the long Labor Day weekendAirports, highways, beaches and theme parks are expected to be packed across the U.S. this Labor Day weekend as a lot Americans mark the unofficial end of summer the same way they celebrated the season’s unofficial start: by traveling.
More than 3 million pass through US airport security in a day for the first time as travel surges
Read full article: More than 3 million pass through US airport security in a day for the first time as travel surgesAgents for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration on Sunday screened 3 million airline passengers in a single day for the first time ever.
The July 4th holiday rush is on. TSA expects to screen a record number of travelers this weekend
Read full article: The July 4th holiday rush is on. TSA expects to screen a record number of travelers this weekendA long Fourth of July holiday weekend in the United States is expected to create new travel records.
Friday's preholiday travel breaks the record for the most airline travelers screened at US airports
Read full article: Friday's preholiday travel breaks the record for the most airline travelers screened at US airportsA record was broken ahead of the Memorial Day weekend for the number of airline travelers screened at U.S. airports.
Senators want limits on the government's use of facial recognition technology for airport screening
Read full article: Senators want limits on the government's use of facial recognition technology for airport screeningA bipartisan group of senators wants restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by the Transportation Security Administration.
Migrants lacking passports must now submit to facial recognition to board flights in US
Read full article: Migrants lacking passports must now submit to facial recognition to board flights in USThe U.S. government has started requiring migrants without passports to submit to facial recognition technology to take domestic flights under a change that prompted confusion this week among immigrants and advocacy groups in Texas.
TSA unveils passenger self-screening lanes at Vegas airport as 'a step into the future'
Read full article: TSA unveils passenger self-screening lanes at Vegas airport as 'a step into the future'Federal airport security officials have unveiled a prototype passenger self-screening system at busy Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas but say they do not plan to use it in other cities around the country.
Officials tout Super Bowl plans to crimp counterfeiting, ground drones, curb human trafficking
Read full article: Officials tout Super Bowl plans to crimp counterfeiting, ground drones, curb human traffickingFederal and local officials say they're taking steps to crimp counterfeiting, ground drones and curb human trafficking during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas.
Busiest holiday travel season in years is off to a smooth start with few airport delays
Read full article: Busiest holiday travel season in years is off to a smooth start with few airport delaysThe holiday travel rush is hitting its peak as mild weather and lower flight cancelation rates raise hopes for merrier drivers and airline passengers than last year.
Traveling with mom’s homemade holiday pie? Here’s what TSA says what foods you can or cannot bring
Read full article: Traveling with mom’s homemade holiday pie? Here’s what TSA says what foods you can or cannot bringOver 115 million Americans are expected to travel this holiday season between Saturday and New Year’s Day, according to AAA.
Holiday travel underway: What Houstonians need to know before they depart
Read full article: Holiday travel underway: What Houstonians need to know before they departWhether you’re traveling the skies or roads, here are a few helpful tips for making it to your destination safely, and with fewer headaches.
A passenger hid bullets in a baby diaper at New York's LaGuardia Airport. TSA officers caught him
Read full article: A passenger hid bullets in a baby diaper at New York's LaGuardia Airport. TSA officers caught himThe Transportation Security Administration says security officers found 17 bullets concealed inside a disposable baby diaper at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
US airports saw record passenger volumes, but fewer headaches, over Thanksgiving weekend
Read full article: US airports saw record passenger volumes, but fewer headaches, over Thanksgiving weekendA record number of passengers traveled through U.S. airports over Thanksgiving weekend, the Transportation Security Administration said Monday.
Here’s what you need to know for Thanksgiving travel from airport wait times to traffic delays for road trips, and more
Read full article: Here’s what you need to know for Thanksgiving travel from airport wait times to traffic delays for road trips, and moreWhether you’re traveling the skies or roads, here are a few helpful tips for making it to your destination safely, and with fewer headaches.
Not again. Federal workers who've weathered past government shutdowns brace for yet another ordeal
Read full article: Not again. Federal workers who've weathered past government shutdowns brace for yet another ordealAcross the country, federal workers still stung by memories of past government shutdowns are bracing for the possibility of another extended closure.
TSA PreCheck membership announces benefit: Is this service worth it to you?
Read full article: TSA PreCheck membership announces benefit: Is this service worth it to you?Ahead of the busy summer travel season, the Transportation Security Administration announced a benefit Monday for TSA PreCheck membership.
TSA is testing facial recognition at more airports, raising privacy concerns
Read full article: TSA is testing facial recognition at more airports, raising privacy concernsThe agency tasked with securing America's airports is testing the use of facial recognition technology at a number of airports across the country.
Assault rifle, 163 rounds of ammunition confiscated from passenger headed to Houston, TSA says
Read full article: Assault rifle, 163 rounds of ammunition confiscated from passenger headed to Houston, TSA saysOfficials from the Transportation Security Administration say they were able to stop a passenger who was carrying an assault rifle and 163 rounds of ammunition from getting on a plane headed to Houston.
Power outage blacks out terminals at Los Angeles airport
Read full article: Power outage blacks out terminals at Los Angeles airportPower was briefly knocked out at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, leaving many passengers at one of the world’s busiest airports in the dark and halting security checks.
Travelers, don’t do this! Dog found in backpack during TSA X-ray screening
Read full article: Travelers, don’t do this! Dog found in backpack during TSA X-ray screeningThe Transportation Security Administration is reminding travelers how to travel with their pets after a dog was found inside a backpack during an x-ray screening at an airport.
TSA screened 8.76 million travelers during Labor Day weekend, exceeding 2019 passenger screening volumes
Read full article: TSA screened 8.76 million travelers during Labor Day weekend, exceeding 2019 passenger screening volumesThe Transportation Security Administration screened 8.76 million travelers during the Labor Day holiday.
Federal judge voids US mask mandate for planes, other travel
Read full article: Federal judge voids US mask mandate for planes, other travelA federal judge in Florida struck down a national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit Monday, and airlines and airports swiftly began repealing their face covering requirements.
CDC extends travel mask requirement to May 3 as COVID rises
Read full article: CDC extends travel mask requirement to May 3 as COVID risesThe Biden administration has announced it will extend through May 3 the nationwide mask requirement for airplanes and public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
US extends mask rule for travel while weighing new approach
Read full article: US extends mask rule for travel while weighing new approachFederal officials are extending the requirement for masks on planes and public transportation through mid-April while taking steps that could lead to lifting the rule.
Bad behavior won’t fly: Flight attendants learn to fight back in self-defense classes
Read full article: Bad behavior won’t fly: Flight attendants learn to fight back in self-defense classesWe are just three months into 2022 and already the Federal Aviation Administration has received hundreds of reports of passengers acting aggressively in the air. Last year, 2021 was a record-setting year for the number of incidents involving disruptive passengers on planes. Because of this, flight attendants are enrolling in the Transportation Security Administration’s Crew Member Self-Defense training course.
TSA officer saves infant who stopped breathing at airport
Read full article: TSA officer saves infant who stopped breathing at airportNewly released video shows a security officer leaping over conveyor belt rollers and saving a 2-month-old boy who stopped breathing at a New Jersey airport security checkpoint.
Atlanta airport checkpoint chaos: Man grabs gun, it goes off
Read full article: Atlanta airport checkpoint chaos: Man grabs gun, it goes offAuthorities say a passenger awaiting a bag search at the Atlanta airport’s main security checkpoint reached in the bag and grabbed a firearm, and it went off, causing chaos among travelers.
Thanksgiving air travel to rebound to 2019 levels, TSA says
Read full article: Thanksgiving air travel to rebound to 2019 levels, TSA saysThe number of airline passengers traveling for Thanksgiving this year is expected to rebound to pre-coronavirus pandemic levels, but the Transportation Security Administration says it is ready to handle the surge.
Airlines, cruise lines and hotel stocks fall on virus fears
Read full article: Airlines, cruise lines and hotel stocks fall on virus fearsAir travel in the United States hit another pandemic-era record over the weekend as vacationers jammed airports, but shares of airlines, cruise lines, hotels and almost anything else related to travel are tumbling on growing concerns about highly contagious variants of coronavirus.
Travel rebound: 2 million people go through US airports
Read full article: Travel rebound: 2 million people go through US airportsThe airline industry’s recovery from the pandemic passed a milestone as more than 2 million people streamed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on Friday for the first time since early March 2020.
Hack prompts new security regulations for US pipelines
Read full article: Hack prompts new security regulations for US pipelinesThe federal government will issue cybersecurity regulations in the coming days for U.S. pipeline operators following a ransomware attack that led to fuel shortages across much of the Eastern Seaboard.
Air travelers top 1.5 million for first time in over a year
Read full article: Air travelers top 1.5 million for first time in over a yearFILE - In this Friday, March 19, 2021 file photo, an airliner lands at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Fla. On Sunday, March 21, more than 1.5 million people streamed through U.S. airport security checkpoints, the largest number since the pandemic tightened its grip on the United States more than a year ago. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)More than 1.5 million people streamed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on Sunday, the largest number since the pandemic tightened its grip on the United States more than a year ago. It marked the 11th straight day that the Transportation Security Administration screened more than 1 million people, likely from a combination of spring break travel and more people becoming vaccinated against COVID-19. The TSA said Monday that it screened about 1.54 million people on Sunday, which appeared to be the largest number since March 13, 2020. Still, the number of people passing through airport checkpoints Sunday was about one-fourth below the number on the closest Sunday in 2019.
US air travel rises to highest levels yet since pandemic hit
Read full article: US air travel rises to highest levels yet since pandemic hitAcross the United States, air travel is recovering more quickly from the depths of the pandemic, and it is showing up in longer airport security lines and busier traffic on airline websites. "Our last three weeks have been the best three weeks since the pandemic hit, and each week has been better than the one prior,” American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said Monday. Shares of the four biggest U.S. carriers hit their highest prices in more than a year. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said Monday that bookings began picking up five or six weeks ago. Since the pandemic hit, air travel has picked up a few times — mostly around holidays — only to drop back down.
The Latest: All Duke University undergrads must quarantine
Read full article: The Latest: All Duke University undergrads must quarantine(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University issued a quarantine order for all of its undergraduates effective Saturday night due to a coronavirus outbreak caused by students who attended recruitment parties, the school said. The university said in a statement that all undergraduate students will be forced to stay-in-place until at least March 21. Suspension or dismissal from the school are potential punishments for “flagrant or repeat violators.”Over the past week, the school has reported more than 180 positive coronavirus cases among students. AdItaly has now tallied some 3.2 million cases in the pandemic. The COVAX alliance aims to share COVID-19 vaccines with more than 90 lower and middle-income nations.
TSA lists fines for people who refuse to wear a mask while traveling
Read full article: TSA lists fines for people who refuse to wear a mask while travelingHOUSTON – The Transportation Security Administration said Friday that it has changed language in its face mask requirement to include specific fines -- which could range from $250 to $1,500 or more -- for people who refuse to wear a mask while traveling. Based on substantial aggravating or mitigating factors, TSA may seek a sanction amount that falls outside these ranges. TSA has provided transportation system operators specific guidance on how to report violations so that TSA may issue penalties to those who refuse to wear a face mask. The requirement extends to wearing masks in airports, bus and rail stations, as well as while on planes, public transportation, passenger railroads, and buses. Read more in the news release from TSA.
TSA looking into adding Capitol rioters to US no-fly list
Read full article: TSA looking into adding Capitol rioters to US no-fly listFederal safety officials are investigating people who took part in last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol to decide whether they belong on the federal no-fly list. The assessments are one of several steps federal agencies are taking to increase security before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week. The assessments could result in rioters being added to the federal no-fly list, the person said. The FBI said earlier this week it was considering adding Capitol rioters to the federal no-fly list but stopped short of saying that individuals were being scrutinized. Airlines and Washington-area airports also have promised tighter security after last week’s riot at the Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.
VIRUS TODAY: Huge study on another COVID vaccine is underway
Read full article: VIRUS TODAY: Huge study on another COVID vaccine is underwayAdministrative worker Sander Edmondson, left, hands a COVID-19 testing kit to a woman at a testing site in Los Angeles, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Here’s what’s happening Monday with the pandemic in the U.S.:THREE THINGS TO KNOW TODAY— A huge study of another COVID-19 vaccine candidate is getting underway Monday as states continue to roll out scarce supplies of the nation’s first shots. Some 30,000 volunteers are needed to prove if this vaccine — a different kind than its Pfizer and Moderna competitors — really works and is safe. — Homicides in Detroit, New York, Philadelphia and other U.S. cities have topped 2019 numbers as violence surged during the coronavirus pandemic. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
The Latest: China tests millions in port over virus cluster
Read full article: The Latest: China tests millions in port over virus cluster(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)BEIJING — Authorities in China’s northeastern port city of Dalian are testing millions of residents after seven new coronavirus cases were reported there in the last 24 hours. It has a deal to secure up to 100 million doses of the potential vaccine produced by AstraZeneca. Koca said the first shipment of three million doses of CoronaVac would be shipped to Turkey on Sunday and arrive Monday. He said Turkey could get 4.5 million doses until the end of March and would have the option buy up to 30 million doses. Indonesia has reported nearly 700,000 COVID-19 cases, the largest caseload in Southeast Asia and second in Asia only to India’s 10.1 million confirmed cases.
Bush airport named TSA’s 2020 Airport of the Year for the second consecutive year
Read full article: Bush airport named TSA’s 2020 Airport of the Year for the second consecutive yearHOUSTON – George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston is the 2020 Airport of the Year, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The TSA team in Houston consists of more than 1,100 employees, which includes TSA officers, inspectors, canine handlers, explosives experts, managers and program analysts. The award recognizes team achievements in key operations and mission support functions, such as measurable improvements, superior performance, notable innovation and significant operational improvements in support of TSA’s mission. “We are honored to be named TSA’s 2020 Airport of the year,” Houston Airports Director Mario Diaz said. “On behalf of the entire team at Bush Airport and the traveling public, I also congratulate the George Bush Intercontinental Airport TSA team for their invaluable commitment to safety and efficiency throughout this challenging year.
Holiday air travel surges despite dire health warnings
Read full article: Holiday air travel surges despite dire health warningsThe Transportation Security Administration screened at least 1 million people on four of the last 10 days through Sunday. That's still half the crowd recorded last year at airports, when more than 2 million people were counted per day. With new reported cases of coronavirus spiking across the country, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had issued a warning against Thanksgiving travel just a week before the holiday. On Monday, JetBlue Airways said “booking trends remain volatile,” and a recovery in travel demand will be uneven into next year. Those are slightly deeper reductions in flying and revenue than the New York carrier had expected before the recent spike in infections.
TSA officers at Houston’s IAH find 6 loaded, 2 unloaded guns over one-week period
Read full article: TSA officers at Houston’s IAH find 6 loaded, 2 unloaded guns over one-week periodHOUSTON – The Transportation Security Administration at George Bush Intercontinental Airport found eight guns inside luggage over the course of a week, according to a news release. Those eight were part of 92 that have been found in 2020, meaning 11.5% of guns found at IAH were found in just a week, the release revealed. Here is a breakdown:9/20/2020: .40 loaded9/20/2020: 9mm loaded9/22/2020: .380 loaded9/23/2020: .380 loaded9/23/2020: .357 loaded9/24/2020: .380 unloaded9/24/2020: 9mm unloaded9/27/2020: 9mm loaded“Guns are prohibited in the cabins of airplanes. This law has been in place long before TSA existed,” said Juan Sanchez, TSA’s Federal Security Director for IAH. Go online to see the rules for transporting firearms.
Air traffic is down, gun seizures up at US airports
Read full article: Air traffic is down, gun seizures up at US airports(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)With air traffic nearing a five-month high, airport security is finding guns in passenger carry-on bags at three times the rate recorded before the pandemic. There has been a significant increase in loaded guns at checkpoints, said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. Last year, 4,432 guns were found in carry-on bags, or about 12.1 per day, and 87% were loaded. TSA's public appeal to follow gun rules came the same day that it reported screening 831,789 people on Sunday. It was the first time checkpoint traffic in U.S. airports has topped 800,000 since March 17.
Reports: TSA insider faults agency's response to coronavirus
Read full article: Reports: TSA insider faults agency's response to coronavirusThe top TSA official in Kansas, Jay Brainard, says the TSAs actions amount to gross mismanagement." The special counsel has ordered TSA's parent agency, the Homeland Security Department, to conduct an investigation. Brainard filed his whistleblower complaint on June 3, and the special counsel on Thursday ordered the Homeland Security Department to investigate the allegations. By law, the special counsel only takes that step when it believes there is a substantial likelihood of wrongdoing. The special counsel will review Homeland Securitys findings and issue a report to the White House and Congress.
Businesses ramp up operations as nations prep for tourists
Read full article: Businesses ramp up operations as nations prep for touristsFive restaurants continue to operate with enhanced off-premise service only, while nine restaurants remain temporarily closed. Transactions at fast food restaurants were down 17% the week of May 24, while transactions at sit-down chains were down 49%. CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS & BANKS: Spains national statistics office said that it received zero international tourists in April. That compares with 7 million tourists that spent 7 billion euros ($7.8 billion) in Spain in the prior-year period. Istanbuls 15th century Grand Bazaar, museums, gyms, child care centers and nurseries, were among other venues allowed to resume operations.
TSA: IAH among top 5 airports where most guns found in 2019
Read full article: TSA: IAH among top 5 airports where most guns found in 2019HOUSTON – George Bush Intercontinental Airport is among the top five airports where Transportation Security Administration officers found the most guns in 2019. IAH officers detected 138 guns in carry-on bags or on passengers last year, authorities announced Wednesday. NEWS: TSA officers caught more firearms at checkpoints nationwide in 2019 than ever before in the agency’s 18-year history. Read the full press release: https://t.co/n3Zqyfpcnx pic.twitter.com/Qejm69lzwy — TSA (@TSA) January 15, 2020The IAH information was part of a news release that also announced that TSA officers found more firearms at checkpoints nationwide in 2019 than ever before in the agency’s 18-year history. The top five airports where TSA officers detected guns at checkpoints in 2019 were:1.