TSA bracing for a record-setting 4th of July travel week, including 200,000-plus in Pittsburgh
Here in Pittsburgh, more than 200,000 travelers are expected to pass through the terminals at Pittsburgh International Airport.
"We're expecting 72.2 million people that are going to head out… most on the road, but a lot going through the airport," said Jim Garrity with AAA. "It's the most we've seen for Fourth of July on record."
That kind of volume means travelers should plan for delays and allow for extra time.
"Get out the door early because you could be running into delays on the roads and at the airports," said Garrity.
"We advise people to make sure they're here two hours in advance, that means being in line two hours before your flight," said Kerlik.
And if you're not traveling with a Real ID, be prepared for longer screening times.
"If you do not have a REAL ID, we'd advise giving yourself extra time," said Kerlik. "You're subjected to additional screening, and it could take more time to get through the line."
Officials are urging travelers to plan to help reduce stress.
Reserve airport parking online in advance, follow TSA packing guidelines to avoid delays at security, and check your flight status with your airline before heading to the airport.
"Make sure you're checking with your airline using their app; they're readily available," said Kerlik.
Travelers can also check security wait times and other updates on the FlyPittsburgh website at this link.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
9 hours ago
- Forbes
TSA Warning—All Smartphone Users Must Stop Using These Chargers
Be warned before you head for the airport. It's holiday season. And as millions of travelers prepare to jet off from airports across the U.S. and beyond, the Transportation Security Administration's recent phone charger warning for airline passengers has suddenly been given some added urgency. The security agency has told airport travelers to 'bring your TSA-compliant power brick or battery pack and plug in there,' rather than use public charging points. 'When you're at an airport, do not plug your phone directly into a USB port.' This relates to so-called juice jacking, which along with the overhyped threat from public WiFi is guaranteed to irk cybersecurity professionals. But just as TSA's airport WiFi warning has been reinforced by the security industry, so it is now with charging. 'Public USB ports should never be treated as safe,' warns NordVPN's Adrianus Warmenhoven (via ZDNet), following its new report into the threat from choicejacking. This enhancement on juice jacking can bypass the protections in your smartphone to trick it into accepting a data cable connection when it shouldn't. Warmenhoven describes choicejacking as 'a dangerous evolution in public charging threats. With a single deceptive prompt, attackers can trick people into enabling data transfer, potentially exposing personal files and other sensitive data.' Per Hackread, 'the rise of choicejacking reinforces what cybersecurity experts have said for years: public USB ports should not be trusted. Even at airports, hotels, or cafés, a compromised charger could be waiting to hijack your device.' That's debatable. Most public charging warnings are met with a fair amount of cyber derision. It's a blunt force attack. You're only likely to be specifically targeted by a malicious charging point or cable if you're in a high risk vocation or location. But what choicejacking has done is shown how a phone can be tricked into thinking a physical connection is one thing — a keyboard for example, while in reality it's something else. And data can be stolen as a result. If you consider your risk profile to be high, this should be a consideration. Use your own charger and cable. And bear in mind that when your phone is unlocked while charging, it's more vulnerable to this attack — if juice jacking attacks really exist, of course.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
TSA confiscates turtle pair from Florida woman's bra: See photos
Transportation Security Administration officials in Florida were "shell-shocked" to discover a pair of turtles in a passenger's undergarments. The woman, who was traveling out of Miami International Airport in April, was caught trying to sneak two turtles past the security checkpoint by stuffing them in her bra, the TSA said in a July 24 LinkedIn post. TSA's advanced imaging technology alerted officers to a possible item hidden in the passenger's chest area, according to a statement from the agency. The woman was taken aside for a private screening, during which two live turtles from an "alarming area" were discovered. Multiple agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, were called in to assist. "OK friends, please - and we cannot emphasize this enough - stop hiding animals in weird places on your body and then trying to sneak them through airport security," the post says. "No, really." One of the turtles that was stuffed in the woman's bra did not survive the ordeal, and the other was confiscated and turned over to the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife. As a result of this incident, the second one in the last few months, TSA reminded travelers that they "want you to be able to travel with your pets, and you turtle-ly can, but please travel with them safely." "You can start by reaching out to your airline for their rules concerning pets on board flights," the agency said. "As far as TSA screening goes, small pets are allowed through our checkpoint but must be removed from any carriers and carried through the checkpoint (notice we said 'carried' and not 'hidden underneath your clothing ')." TSA discovers, confiscates another contraband turtle Earlier this year, TSA agents dealt with another case of turtle smuggling under clothes - this time in New Jersey. The Pennsylvania man, who was not identified by name, attempted to sneak a live red-ear slider turtle in the crotch area of his pants at Newark Liberty International Airport on March 7. The man was given a "pat-down" after tripping an alarm, where officers discovered he was hiding something in his groin area. When asked if he had anything hidden in his pants, the man retrieved a turtle wrapped in a blue towel from his trousers. Port Authority Police questioned the man and later confiscated the turtle. The man missed his flight and was escorted out of the security checkpoint by law enforcement. Contributing: Julia Gomez and Max Augugliaro, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TSA busts passenger with turtles in her bra: See pics Solve the daily Crossword
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-extra-screening-airport-tsa-SWEATATTSA0725-288faafe63b24a01947bcbefde8a9ea2.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
3 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
TSA Says Sweat Can Trigger Extra Security Checks at U.S. Airports—What to Know
Heat waves are sweeping across the world and the summer sizzle continues in the United States, so it's not unexpected travelers may get a little sweaty when traveling through the airport. But it turns out, getting too sweaty might actually cause delays and trigger the need for extra security screenings. In fact, a passenger who is visibly perspiring might trigger the need for a wand screening or extra pat down, according to a report from CNN . 'Added moisture from a person's body can alter the density of clothing, so it is possible perspiration may cause our Advanced Imaging Technology machines to alarm,' a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesperson told the network. 'If this occurs, the passenger may need to undergo additional screening, such as a pat-down in the area of the body where the [machine is] alarmed, to ensure there is no threat.' But while pat downs may make an already stressful environment even more so, security lines at U.S. airports might start to move a little faster now that the TSA will no longer require travelers to remove their shoes when they pass through security. And that change may leave travelers with a lot less to sweat about. 'Ending the 'Shoes-Off' policy is the latest effort DHS is implementing to modernize and enhance traveler experience across our nation's airports,' Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. 'We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience.' Noem added: "Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards." A week after that announcement, Noem said she had started "questioning" the TSA's current liquid limitations in carry-on bags. But despite her comments, it may actually be years before travelers can take large liquids with them. Currently, travelers must limit liquids, gels, creams, pastes, and aerosols in their carry-on luggage to 3.4 ounces or less and store them in a quart-sized resealable bag, which may need to be placed separately in a bin. Travelers who are part of the agency's expedited security screening program TSA PreCheck are also limited to 3.4-ounces, but they are not required to remove liquids from their luggage during screening. Similarly, these travelers were not required to remove their shoes during security screening even before the new rule went into effect.
