U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) says he has the answer to the long security lines at the three major New York City airports - and maybe the rest of the country.
Dogs.
Schumer, a very frequent and vocal critic of the airline industry, is urging the Transportation Security Administration to put more dogs on the passenger-screening line
"As the dog days of summer roll on in, airport security lines need to roll along, too. But right now passengers are jammed in outrageously long delays. One simple, cheap and very effective way to speed up the long lines is by deploying a surge of highly-trained passenger-screening canines," Schumer said at a press conference Sunday "As New York City airport wait times bog down, so waits the nation. New York City is a national hub and if we can reduce the wait times here, we can make the entire country move a lot faster. A canine screening surge in New York City could really take a bite out of time."
READ MORE: Sen. Schumer Weighs in on IATA Carry-On Proposal
The Port Authority of NY/NJ recently reported that the average maximum wait time at JFK Airport between March 15 and April 15 increased 82 percent from the same period last year.
And it's only expected to grow when the summer travel season begins in a couple of weeks.
"Coupled with a surge in actual TSA agents (that) I am requesting here in New York City, highly-trained canine teams offer a unique way for the TSA to accurately and efficiently screen passengers standing in stalled security lines," he said. "That's why the TSA should increase the number of canine teams at New York City airports as soon as possible."
Schumer said that TSA Passenger Screening Dogs can cut passenger screening times by about half. He likened it to going through the TSA's Pre-Check program, where pre-approved passengers do not have to remove their belts or shoes, thus cutting down time.
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