WATCH: TSA Security Line Stretches Into Parking Garage At Sea-Tac Airport
By Zuri Anderson
September 19, 2022
Angry passengers are sharing photos and videos online about absurdly-long security lines at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport over the weekend.
Several people were complaining about missing their flights on Sunday (September 18) as the line to go through TSA stretched all the way into the airport's parking garage. Two Twitter videos by Carolyn A. Drake showed hundreds of travelers standing in the parking area, including those who arrived hours before their flight.
"We arrived 2 hrs early for our flight, and we are in the PARKING LOT waiting to get through TSA. There’s no way we make it," she wrote. "@AskTSA What are you going to do to make it right to everyone who’s going to miss their flight because of this?"
At SeaTac. We arrived 2 hrs early for our flight, and we are in the PARKING LOT waiting to get through TSA. There’s no way we make it.@AskTSA What are you going to do to make it right to everyone who’s going to miss their flight because of this? pic.twitter.com/lChOgpJmP0
— Carolyn A. Drake (@Carolyn_A_Drake) September 18, 2022
The airport addressed these concerns by posting an advisory on Twitter at noon:
"Security checkpoint wait times are at challenging levels again this morning with increased volumes. Please arrive early for your flight. We appreciate your patience and consideration."
Security checkpoint wait times are at challenging levels again this morning with increased volumes. Please arrive early for your flight. We appreciate your patience and consideration. pic.twitter.com/tOphWEBDqd
— Seattle Tacoma Intl. Airport (@SeaTacAirport) September 18, 2022
Twitter users slammed Sea-Tac over the response, especially those who said they arrived two to three hours early and still missed their flights.
"Don’t try sugarcoating things. Lines are out to the parking garage. Can’t believe this is due to high number of ppl flying. SeaTac messed something up," one person said.
Another wrote: "My 80 year old mother was in that line yesterday for over 2.5 hours and missed her flight. Absolutely ridiculous. @SeaTacAirport didn’t even give an explanation as to the cause of this."
"We missed our flight and delta is not helping because TSA is not their problem. We were here 2.5 hours early for a domestic flight with no checked bags," someone tweeted.
This is what a nightmare looks like when trying to fly out of SeaTac. Is TSA all on holiday? 2.50 hrs and counting. pic.twitter.com/NhD4UXyaYj
— elljaa 🧁🍰🍾 (@ElljaaID) September 18, 2022
Friend posted this at Sea Tac, basically saying you need to go multiple hours before your flight pic.twitter.com/XkGWXmq2Kt
— Historic South Tacoma (@southtacoma) September 19, 2022
At SeaTac 2.5 hours early for a flight and probably won't make my flight. Security line is winding through the parking lot. pic.twitter.com/sZNuHK6MH8
— Daniel Day Lincoln (@apocalypsebiker) September 18, 2022
We missed our flight and delta is not helping because TSA is not their problem. We were here 2.5 hours early for a domestic flight with no checked bags 😡😡😡
— Jessica Chesmore (@Jchesmore10) September 18, 2022
Mondays are busy travel days at SeaTac to be sure, but considering the 3 hr TSA lines yesterday and missed flights you'd think that all security lines would be OPEN.
— J. Bobinski (@thoughtbench) September 19, 2022
Lines are at 30 mins already at 5:30am. @SeaTacAirport @flySEA pic.twitter.com/4bHtb318pW
A TSA spokesperson told KIRO 7 that there was one single line for security until travelers reached the terminal, where they were redirected to individual checkpoints. Five out of the 29 screening lanes were closed due to either equipment malfunction or international arrivals.
Airport officials say this was the highest volume of passengers at SeaTac since the pandemic.