Originally Posted by
gingersnaps
In my experience many checkpoints will have at least 8 screening laned. I my experience, it is common that less than half of the lanes are in operation. If I read TSA's budget request correctly, TSA asked for an increase of less than 350 screeners (doesn't TSA operate at 400+ US airports?)
Provided that each piece equipment needs at least 1 screener and sometimes two (AIT), how many screeners does TSA need to operate all lanes at checkpoints.
Tickets
xray
person telling you to remove your laptops
metal detector
AIT
exit
screeners available for bag checks, opt outs, pat down etc.
If we consider peak times, and all lanes are in operation, is it a good business model to have loads of employees report to work for 2 hours or less a day in a 5 day work week?
(bolding mine)
This is undoubtedly one reason for retention issues.
Airports have a natural ebb and flow, it's the nature of the business. Every other airport provider of services has to accomodate this and still make a profit. TSA blows taxpayer $$$ right and left, but claims staffing issues are too difficult for it to solve.
Perhaps private security could figure it out, the same way other private for-profit airport services have managed to.