Budget Cuts Causing Problems At Select Airports

By Author: Steve Robinson
Total Articles: 467
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While cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages are encouraging many to travel abroad, the federal budget cuts resulting from the sequester have lead to excessive waits of up to four hours at some U.S. airports for passengers arriving via overseas flights.

Homeland Security has publicly acknowledged that major American airports serving international traffic have witnessed significantly higher wait times in March and April. These extended waits are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

The problem is not being caused by a reduction in the number of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel. Instead it is a result of more travelers coming in without any corresponding increasing in CBP staffing.

Congress has urged Homeland Security to move more quickly on offers from local cities, such as Miami, to help pay for additional CBP officers at their airports. Homeland Security is currently in the process of selecting five cities that would take part in a pilot program where they would be allowed, at their own expense, to pay for additional CBP officers.

The ...
... expected reduction in the number of airport screeners at U.S. airports as a result of the budget sequester has not taken place because Congress passed a budget bill to supplement airport security funding.

Security lines are also being helped because more passengers are signing up for Pre-Check and other programs which expedite screening for frequent fliers. Homeland Security estimates that one out of every four domestic fliers will receive some type of accelerated screening.

About 25 airports have requested permission to hire private screeners instead of having Transportation Security Administration officials conduct their security. Almost two dozen have been approved. At this time, no additional airports have made similar requests.
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