RIAC Inspection Finds TSA’s Improvements Shorten Wait Times

RIAC Inspection Finds TSA’s Improvements Shorten Wait Times

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) announced it conducted an early morning inspection of the checkpoint performance to assess the impact on its passengers during peak flow between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. this morning.

Additionally, RIAC says it has been monitoring operations at the checkpoint on a regular basis since last October, when the checkpoint began experiencing unusually long lines. 

RIAC said it has had several productive interactions with the top leadership at TSA’s national headquarters in the Washington, DC area.

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"TSA’s national leadership team has been empathetic and consistently supportive of the checkpoint issues at the terminal. With help from the national leadership team, the checkpoint has experienced significant operational improvements in recent weeks. Improved wait times, particularly recently, have alleviated concerns raised by the airlines and the passengers back in the Fall of 2024. RIAC was pleased to witness that the early morning lines that spilled out of the terminal in November are now mostly contained inside the checkpoint - a marked improvement," said RIAC in a statement.

 

Background - and Looking Forward

RIAC management said it originally raised concerns about checkpoint lines in October 2024 at RIAC’s monthly board meeting. Pictures of long lines going out of the terminal were discussed, and a decision was made to hire a consultant to study the checkpoint operations.

Since then, says RIAC, it has been "singularly focused" on one objective: reasonable wait times at PVD’s checkpoint.

During this morning’s inspection, the passenger load numbers between 4:00 am and 6:00 am were over 400 passengers, more than the initial inspection in November 2024 where lines were almost backed up outside of the terminal. "Yet the lines from early November were nonexistent because the TSA has improved its screening performance," said RIAC. 

Based on the "significantly enhanced performance at the checkpoint," RIAC said it has decided to rescind its application to enroll in the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program.

RIAC said it will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that the passengers who choose to fly from Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport are not subjected to undue delays.

"It is important to note that RIAC currently has seven lanes at the checkpoint," said the corporation.

Currently, PVD handles approximately four million passengers and is the fastest-growing airport in the United States.