Major change at US airports: Trump administration suspends passenger fast access / Democrats accuse 'deliberate sabotage'
Passengers passing through a fast-track security aisle at a US airport. Credit line: Eric Risberg / AP / Profimedia
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is suspending the use of special security lanes and express screening terminals at airports. Airline representatives warn that the measure, which comes into force on Sunday, will affect travel planning, according to The Guardian.
The decision affects TSA PreCheck and Global Entry services, used to reduce wait times at security and customs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stopped their operation in the context of the funding crisis of American institutions.
The suspension will take effect Sunday at 6:00 a.m. ET (1:00 p.m. in Romania), according to the Washington Post.
“The traveling public will once again be used as a political football”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the measure has “serious real-world consequences” but is necessary to prioritize resources toward the general flow of passengers, thereby suspending what the official called “special privileges.”
US airlines criticized the measure, accusing it of a lack of advance warning to passengers. Chris Sununu, executive director of Airlines for America, said:
“Airlines for America is deeply concerned that the traveling public will once again be used as a political football in the context of another government shutdown.”
Sununu pointed out that the measure was communicated “with very little time in advance”, making travel planning difficult. He recalled that a similar blockage last year caused $6.1 billion in losses to the tourism industry and related sectors.
The Trump administration and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on legislation to fund DHS, leading to the start of the partial government shutdown on February 14. The dispute centers on changes to immigration operations seen as central to President Trump's deportation campaign.
Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee criticized the airport security decision. They said on social media that the administration is “sabotaging the programs that make travel easier and safer” and accused it of “ruining your travels on purpose.”
Ahead of the airport decision, the Trump administration on Thursday asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to stop sending hundreds of aid workers to disaster areas.
