I was leaving SLC yesterday. The security lines were very long--maybe a half hour or so. A TSA guy was walking around, chatting. He said they were surprized by the amount of people, that Saturday afternoons were usually quiet.
So that raises the question: How could they not know how many people were going to check in? Wouldn't that number be available by simply polling the airlines. I mean, how many walk ups could there be?

I think you answered the question yourself.

I'm sure the numbers would be available ... but I don't know that TSA ever polls the airlines to find out those things. And if "TSA" does, I'm not sure that information necessarily gets passed down to the TSOs on duty.

Continuing the thought - I doubt the TSA would take the effort, and if they did, would know what to do with the numbers. (They're still confused about 3 and 3.4 oz, after all.) And they get paid the same whether you stand in line for 2 minutes or an hour.

I know the CLt bookings are avl. I don't know if the TSA asks for it or not. The only thing I do know they ask for is the number of bags off the intl arrivals that must go thru TSA.

I can't comment specifically on SLC (or even the TSA), but every major airport worldwide (and some minor ones too) that I have dealt with has someone on staff whose sole raison d'etre is to develop a passenger presentation profile and model to determine staffing levels at terminal choke points such as security.

That said, passengers do not always adhere to the presentation model. A handful of tour groups arriving at the same time can flood a choke point very quickly. A forecast of bad weather that doesn't hold up is another common cause as people tend to show up early and then hang around. Similarly, just a handful of sick calls can result in significantly reduced screening resource being available.

There is a science behind it, but like any prediction, the only thing certain about it is that it will certainly be wrong.

That information is provided to TSA at PHL by all of the airlines daily.

The supes have the information. Sometimes they mention it to us, especially if it's expected to be very busy; other times, they don't.

I've noticed passengers numbers seem to be increasing again after a long slow period. Let's hope the economy is looking up!

HSV gets the numbers three days in advance, which usually means they're off a little bit by the time the day actually comes.

The information is available to our TSOs on flight sheets that we print out daily - one for the checkpoint (it also includes the rotation, along with an hour-by-hour breakdown of the passenger flow), and five or six for checked baggage spread out amongst the screening locations.

Whether or not the sheet is looked at (and there's no real reason for a TSO to look at one of them in the first place, outside of personal curiosity) is up to the TSO-in-question. I've gone whole days where I never bothered to look at what the flight sheets actually say.

SLC is a horrid airport for trying to get through security. I've never stood inline less than 30 minutes, any terminal. They have the "experienced traveler" or whatever they call it line, but its never open. This airport needs to be revamped in a huge way.

When I was at T23 at LAX baggage usually was provided the numbers so they could do staffing. Any extra bodies were sent to T2 checkpoint, because they were one of the busiest at the airport, excluding TBIT.

I've never waited very long at SLC Terminal 1. Usually, I get right thru. Experienced traveler was usually roped off, but they would let you in if asked. The TSO there usually "guessed" what you were.

Terminal 2 had longer lines, but I expect that it's because of being a DL hub and having more gates than Terminal 1.

Super

SLC is my home airport. I've never had more than maybe 10 minutes at the most to get through security at Terminal 2. But, then, I always use the First/Medallion/Crown Room line, which is usually very sparsely populated.
OK. I take it back. I did have to wait about 30 minutes ONCE. It was the day after the 2002 Winter Olympics finished up. I was heading down to Arizona after working the Games. But, I already knew it was going to be a zoo, so I got there extra early. Other than that one incident, it's always been smooth sailing.

Maybe if he was working instead of walking around chatting..

I didn't see a FC/Premier line. I saw a CLEAR one which was completely open. I am United Premier (lowly 3P) so I'm kicking myself now if there was one.

My guess: nobody told TSA that 3.98 million more people than usual would be heading for Washington DC last weekend.