TSA to deploy more officers to Pensacola International Airport, mayor says

Travelers at Pensacola International Airport will be seeing relief soon from long security lines as the Transportation Security Administration has agreed to send more staffing to the airport for the summer.

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves told the News Journal the TSA informed the city it would be sending eight TSA officers from the agency's National Deployment Force beginning on May 5 through July.

The TSA's National Deployment Force officers are sent to airports around the country on a temporary basis to help airports experiencing higher levels of travel or staffing shortages.

The TSA upgraded equipment at the airport last year leading to long lines while the project was ongoing, but when the upgrade was complete, the long lines have persisted as the airport continues to hit record travel numbers month after month. Reeves said it was not uncommon for only one security lane to be open during busy travel times despite enough equipment to run four security lanes.

Last week, Reeves sent a letter to members of Congress, including senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio and Rep. Matt Gaetz, calling on their help to get the TSA to do something about the long security lines at Pensacola International Airport.

"I'm very encouraged to hear help is on the way for Pensacola International Airport," Reeves said. "I'm extremely appreciative of TSA's decision to provide more resources immediately. Thank you to Sen. Scott and Rep. Gaetz who yet again answered the bell for Pensacola, taking swift action when we needed it most."

Scott's office told the News Journal that the senator immediately reached out to TSA to request swift action to address Reeves' concerns.

"It’s no surprise everyone wants to visit Pensacola with its great beaches and rich history," Scott said in a written comment to the News Journal. "I’ll keep working closely with the local leadership to ensure the city has the federal resources and support it needs to ensure the safety of residents and visitors."

Gaetz also said he was working to address the issue.

"We all value the dedication TSA agents at Pensacola International Airport provide," Gaetz said in a statement to the News Journal. "To address wait times, I look forward to working with Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves to find a solution that ensures all security lanes are operational and efficiently optimized. I’m grateful to have a partner in service like Mayor Reeves who is always concerned about our citizens safety and convenience."

The increase in staffing will last through July, which is the airport's busiest season, but it remains to be seen what will happen after the deployment ends.

"We will continue to monitor these improvements taking form through the summer as we restore smoother and more consistent operations at PNS," Reeves said.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola International Airport to get more TSA officers temporarily