[The latest: What to know about TSA wait times at BWI this Wednesday]
Operations at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport appear to have largely returned to normal after hours-long lines and travel disruptions last week.
If you’re headed to the airport Tuesday, here’s what you need to know.
What’s the wait time? Lines at security checkpoints are “well within the normal range” Tuesday, with no significant waits, said Jonathan Dean, a spokesman for BWI Airport. On social media, travelers are reporting short lines, with wait times of less than 10 minutes to around 25 minutes.
Airport officials once again recommend people arrive two hours ahead of their flight.
Which checkpoints are open? Checkpoints A, B, C and D/E are open, including most lines for TSA PreCheck and Clear. Travelers going through D/E are reporting slightly faster lines.
A ‘return to normal’
Travelers breezed through security checkpoints on Monday with wait times under ten minutes for the majority of the day. About 25,569 passengers departed from BWI Monday, Dean said, compared to about 30,000 on both Thursday and Friday last week.
BWI officials advised people to arrive 2 hours before their flight, returning to the standard guidance after telling travelers to come 3 and 4 hours ahead of their departures during some days last week.
In a post on social media Monday, the airport described the past few days as “difficult,” but added that “quick and efficient checkpoint operations” had returned.
Looking ahead this week, an early estimate for Thursday indicates 27,225 passengers are expected to fly from BWI, according to Dean. Many local school districts — including Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County and Howard County — began spring break last week, with Baltimore County’s starting with a short day on Wednesday.
TSA workers get paid
Transportation Security Administration workers began receiving back pay on Monday for working during the partial government shutdown. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday after Congress failed to reach a deal over Homeland Security funding.
Union leaders told the Associated Press that TSA workers received some of their back pay and that the rest is expected by next week.
More than 500 TSA workers quit amid the shutdown, according to the Department of Homeland Security, and thousands called out each day while not receiving paychecks. On Sunday, more than 38% of BWI’s TSA workers called out, the highest rate in the U.S., according to figures provided by DHS.
The callout rate at BWI dropped significantly to 20.7% on Monday, according to DHS.
”Since President Trump’s issued an order to pay TSA officers on March 28, TSA officer call outs have dropped by roughly 30%,“ said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.
The TSA staffing issues resulted in significant lines over the weekend, right as travelers heading to the airport for spring break surged.
Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on Saturday to provide “operational support” and speed the security clearance process. ICE officers remained at the airport on Sunday Monday, with some helping direct travelers or assisting with putting carry-on luggage through screening machines.
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