The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began removing the chairs from the stations where its agents check identification and travel documents at airport security checkpoints in the United States, as part of a new policy that requires this function to be performed while standing.
The measure was confirmed this Tuesday by the agency to Fox News, after it began to be implemented in airports across the country. The union representing the workers also confirmed the change to CNN and stated that the removal of chairs has already started in most commercial airports.
According to the TSA's explanation to Fox News, the goal is to enhance both surveillance and passenger assistance, as the agents responsible for checking documents are typically the first security officials that travelers interact with.
"This change, aimed at providing a better welcome, strengthens both our security stance and our commitment to hospitality by having these officers standing alert," the agency stated in a release distributed by Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin.
The provision does not mean, however, that agents must remain standing throughout their entire workday.
According to the explanation provided by the TSA to Fox News, the officers work in shifts. For about 15 minutes, they check identifications and assist passengers through security checks, a task they will now have to perform while standing. They may then spend around 30 minutes seated in front of the X-ray machine while inspecting luggage.
The decision sparked criticism among worker representatives. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) TSA Council 100 questioned the removal of the chairs, arguing that they are a basic element of ergonomic support and safety for employees who spend a significant part of their workdays walking or standing on hard surfaces.
The union also stated that the workers began to learn about the change on Friday and that there was no prior formal notification to the organization or its local chapters.
The controversy also reached Congress. Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee publicly criticized the decision and demanded that the chairs be returned to the workers.
The TSA responded by defending the new policy and linked the Democratic criticisms to previous disputes over federal government shutdowns, turning the administrative decision into a new point of political confrontation.
The changes come as the TSA develops an initiative called Horizon 25, led by its administrator, David Cummins, through which the agency aims to implement alterations in airport screening, expand TSA PreCheck, incorporate new technologies, and enhance the passenger experience. CNN noted that it is currently unclear whether the removal of the chairs is directly part of this program.
At the moment, there have been no reported changes to the documents that passengers must present or to the requirements for passing through security checks. The new provision specifically affects how agents carry out the review of identification and travel documents.
Related videos:
Filed under: