Following phone calls on Tuesday, May 17th with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger, Mayor Emanuel has secured additional resources from the federal government to reduce TSA wait times at Chicago’s airports. TSA has committed to the following:

• In the coming days, 100 TSA staff members will shift from part-time to full-time employment, providing additional screeners at peak hours.
• An extra 58 TSA officers will be assigned to Chicago’s airports in the next three weeks, and nearly 250 extra will be assigned by mid-August.
• The amount of authorized overtime has been tripled.
• Additional morning shifts are being added for TSA screeners.
• TSA will work closely with the Department of Aviation and airlines to help manage checkpoint flows, manage lines and communicate with traveling public.

These steps come after months of discussions between city and federal officials on the need for more effective staff allocation at security checkpoints, the need for additional hiring and an increase in enrollment in the TSA PreCheck program.