Travelers wait for TSA screening at Fresno Yosemite International Airport on Thursday, March 14, 2024. Photo by Frank Lopez

Travelers going through the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) this upcoming spring break might want to get to the airport extra early with expectations of high travel numbers this season.

FAT and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials held a news conference Thursday in front of the airport’s security check-in to offer travel tips for departing passengers.

TSA expects to screen more than 59,500 departing travelers through the security checkpoint at FAT over spring break. This is a 9.2% increase over last year’s spring break travel period at FAT.

Locally the travel rush begins on March 22 and extends through Sunday, April 7. Easter Sunday is March 31.

 

FAT’s forecast 9.2% increase over 2023 is higher than the TSA’s projected 6% increase in spring break air travel nationally. During this period the TSA expects to screen more than 47.7 million travelers, said Lorie Dankers, TSA spokesperson.

Security screening capacity at FAT has been temporarily reduced due to the ongoing construction for the terminal expansion project.

“That isn’t going to stop us from staffing the lanes that we have available for us to ensure that we have all travelers screened,” Dankers said.

The busiest days of the week for security operations at FAT are Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The busiest times at the security checkpoint are 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight.

Dankers wanted to inform the public that the TSA is using technology that might change the procedure travelers are used to.

TSA is using Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) to assist in the travel document checking process at FAT. The CAT units scan a traveler’s photo identification, confirming their identity and verifying they are ticketed and able to travel that day.

The system also displays a traveler’s pre-screen status eligibility.

Vikkie Calderon, media and public relations officer at FAT, said that they are doing everything they can to ensure a smooth travel experience.

“We are fully staffed, we have individuals at the front curb that are helping to direct traffic to eliminate any congestion of passengers that are loading or being picked up, additional staffing at the terminal, an indoor operations team that makes rounds and are available to travelers for any questions,” Calderon said.

 

On early Thursday morning, the airport was evacuated after a suspicious item was found, Dankers said.

Around 5 a.m., a suspicious item appeared in the x-ray of a passenger’s checked bagged. After a review that included FAT’s explosives specialist, security officials notified law enforcement they could not determine what the item was.

As a result, the lobby area of the airport terminal was evacuated and the bomb squad came to the area and determined the item was not a security threat. The terminal reopened and screening continued.

The event lasted for about 90 minutes and delayed six flights.

Dankers said she cannot reveal what the suspicious item was, per TSA policy. The passenger was able to continue with their travel.

“When it comes to TSA, and the nature of our business is security, and for the security of the travelling public we need to make sure that we are right every single time,” she said.