American Airlines’ Employee Memo Details Efforts to Alleviate Airport Lines

Complaints about Transportation Security Administration delays at airports in North Texas and across the nation, are being heard not just by TSA workers but by airline employees.

American Airlines Chief Operating Officer Robert Isom addressed what the airline is trying to do to help in a memo to employees Wednesday.

"We will spend an additional $4 million to provide contract staff at our U.S. hubs and gateways," the memo said. "The money will fund contract staff to relieve TSA officers from non-screening functions, like bin running and queue management, so that TSA officers can focus solely on the screening and security aspects of their jobs."

Isom goes on to say American is looking for ways to fund additional support for canine teams so that the TSA "can increase the number of customers who may receive expedited screening."

American also plans to aggressively promote TSA pre-check, but Isom points out "we continuously receive negative feedback from customers when these dedicated lanes are closed, so we need assurance that TSA will keep TSA Pre✓ lanes open throughout the day."

Isom points out long lines at checkpoints aren't fair to American Airlines team members "who ultimately take the brunt of our customers’ frustrations."

He went on to say that the airlines will continue to interact daily with the TSA as well as Department of Homeland Security leadership and share concerns.