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TSA says Monday was its slowest day in 10 years, highlighting low travel during pandemic

TSA says Monday was its slowest day in 10 years, highlighting just how few are flying during pandemic
Posted at 9:22 AM, Mar 31, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-31 11:38:06-04

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened fewer passengers Monday than it had in the past 10 years, a spokesperson says.

According to TSA public affairs spokesperson Lisa Farbstein, department officers screened 154,080 people at checkpoints across the country on Monday. On the same date in 2019, TSA screened 2.3 million people.

The numbers highlight just how badly the coronavirus pandemic has crippled the airline industry. Three of the U.S.' largest airliners — American, Delta and United — have seen significant reductions in their stock prices. United has seen nearly a 50 percent drop in its stock price in the past month, and American Airlines has lost nearly 30 percent.

All three airlines have said they are cutting back on staffing due to the crisis. Delta said Sunday that more than 20,000 employees have volunteered to take short-term unpaid leaves of absences.

The CARES Act — the coronavirus stimulus package signed into law by President Donald Trump on Friday — allocates up to $58 billion in financial relief for airlines. On Monday, Reuters reported that American Airlines would seek up to $12 billion in federal funding, including $6 billion in payroll grants and $6 billion in loans. American has more employees than any other U.S. airlines.