TSA: Air Travel Sees Highest Level in Almost a Year

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening reached its highest point since March 2020 on Friday, a TSA spokesperson said.

As some states start to roll back coronavirus restrictions and vaccine distribution is starting to opening up for more Americans, people are starting to travel more.

TSA officers screened 1,357,111 people at airport security checkpoints Friday, the highest number since March 15 of last year, TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said.

BREAKING: @TSA officers screened 1,357,111 people at airport security checkpoints yesterday, Friday, March 12. The last time checkpoint throughput was that high was March 15, 2020. If you choose to fly, wear that mask!

— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) March 13, 2021

TSA previously announced its ability to penalize airline passengers who refuse to wear masks while traveling, a move that came after President Joe Biden’s January 21 executive order on “Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel.”

Darby LaJoye, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the TSA Administrator, said in a press release, the “TSA will fully comply with the President’s Executive Orders, CDC guidance and the DHS National Emergency determination to ensure healthy and secure travel across all transportation sectors. This will help prevent further spread of COVID-19 and encourage a unified government response.”

On Thursday, Biden directed all states, tribes, and territories to make American adults eligible for the coronavirus vaccine by the beginning of May.

On Saturday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data showed more than 133 million vaccine doses had been distributed, and more than 101 million have been administered.

As Breitbart News reported last year, from March 1, 2020, to April 1, 2020, passenger traffic through U.S. airports fell 94 percent. The number of passengers plummeted from 2,280,522 flying on the first day of March to 136,023 flying on the first day of April.

On Monday, Breitbart News reported, the CDC released highly anticipated guidelines for fully vaccinated people. Giving vaccinated people more options for socializing indoors. CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky said in a press release, “We know that people want to get vaccinated so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love.”