Airports in New York, Detroit, Atlanta and Chicago are being singled out for criticism, The Independent reports. It says around 450 passengers at Chicago’s O’Hare airport missed their flight on Sunday evening and were forced to spend the night in the terminal.
The Department of Homeland Security held a press conference last week to promise improvements. It has pledged to increase the number of screeners employed by the Transportation Safety Agency (TSA) and pay for overtime for existing staff as well as more bomb-sniffing dogs. The Independent says the TSA has admitted being caught out because it had underestimated the growth in the number of passengers.
Delays in screening will add to the headache that UK travellers often face at major US airports, where queues for immigration can often take more than an hour.
A Visit USA spokesperson said UK travellers should be made aware of the extra time needed: "While we do feel that British travellers are far more aware and appreciative of the need for vigilance and are becoming ever more accommodating of the requirements of the security area of the airport, we would always recommend that travellers be mindful of their timings and allow at least 2 hours to pass through the terminal.
“With the busy summer travel season approaching and inbound and outbound numbers for the US on the rise, we urge British visitors to factor in plenty of time while travelling through any US airport."
