Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security check lines were over 2 hours long at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on May 15.
American Airlines spokesperson Leslie Scott said the exorbitantly long lines led to 450 passengers missing their flights, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Dozens of passengers who could not secure seats on later flights were stranded in O’Hare’s American Airlines terminal.
My bed for the night, thanks to 2+ hours in line for security & not able to get on 3 flights. @AskTSA #iHateTheWait pic.twitter.com/X796SHM4aQ
— Ariel Sara (@TheArielSara) May 16, 2016
American Airlines staff began handing out cots and blankets just after 9:30 p.m. Central Time, reported NBC Chicago.
An ongoing TSA staffing shortage has affected air travel nationwide and has lead to infuriating delays.
Airlines for America (A4A), an industry organization, created the #iHateTheWait hashtag so passengers can share their TSA security line experiences.
I’m walking everywhere from now on. #ohare #iHateTheWait pic.twitter.com/4iOTAWNKHa
— jason pearl (@jsonperl) May 16, 2016
A4A believes the hashtag will “help improve efficiency.” A number of O’Hare passengers used the hashtag to tweet their experience during the delays.
Scott noted to the Chicago Tribune that, since February 2016, 4,500 American Airlines passengers at O’Hare have missed flights due to the security line problem.
@AirlineReporter @AskTSA @fly2ohare #iHateTheWait >2.5 hr security line at O’Hare with an unused lane for “PreCheck” pic.twitter.com/E1L8XL8MoH
— Zac.In.SEA (@zacinsea) May 16, 2016
A video uploaded to YouTube on May 12 shows a security line at Chicago’s Midway airport. It takes a full 2 minutes to walk the line, from beginning to end.
Warning: The below video contains explicit language.
