SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 15, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — TSA and airport officials are prepared for a surge in travelers this weekend at Salt Lake City International Airport.
Monday could be the busiest day on record, officials are predicting.
“High passenger volumes that day are being driven by the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Feb. 19 and the holiday weekend that will bring a large number of outdoor recreation enthusiasts to the area,” says a statement issued by the airport.
TSA has been working closely with airport officials to prepare for the expected surge in the number of travelers who will be departing SLC throughout the day Monday.
“The Salt Lake Airport team is thrilled to be the first stop for the thousands of passengers coming to ski or attend the NBA All-Star Game this Presidents’ Day weekend,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director, Salt Lake City Department of Airports.
“Our team has been planning for months in preparation for the next few days and we look forward to providing our airport visitors with an All-Star experience.”
Matt Davis, TSA federal security director for Utah, said the numbers could be in the tens of thousands.
“Current projections show that more than 40,000 travelers will be departing SLC on Monday. This is a 40% increase over usual travel volumes this time of year,” he said in a prepared statement.
“Because every traveler and their belongings must be screened by TSA, we have supplemented our local workforce and added security assets to ensure we are prepared to deliver an efficient and effective screening experience. We look forward to showcasing our operation and celebrating with the community as we celebrate all that SLC and Utah have to offer.”
In addition to local TSA workers, the agency has arranged to have 40 extra officers on-site from 10 different airports across the country working at SLC.
Checkpoint operations are expected to be extremely busy staring Monday morning at 5 a.m. The number of passengers departing the airport will remain high through 4 p.m., the statement says.
Travelers can also expect to see explosive detection K-9s and handlers working in and around the security checkpoint, adding an additional layer of security at the airport. Some of the canines work regularly at SLC while others have come from other airports. TSA-trained canines paired with law enforcement handlers are also supporting security operations at key venues in Salt Lake City during the All-Star Game festivities.
For travelers who have NBA All-Star Game souvenir programs, TSA advises that those should travel in carry-on luggage. Placing programs in checked bags may cause the security screening equipment to unnecessarily alarm and potentially cause delays in checked baggage operations.
The statement asked Monday airport travelers to be prepared, and to store any NBC souvenir programs in checked luggage.
In addition, travelers should ensure that liquids in carry-on luggage are in quantities of 3.4 ounces/100 ml or less. Any liquids over this quantity should be placed in checked luggage.
TSA recommends travelers download the myTSA app, a source for travel information which provides 24-hour access to the most frequently asked questions.
