TSA is leaving this airport forever with no plans to return | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

The TSA is a fact of life at most airports. In fact, according to the Transportation Security Administration, TSA:

Is responsible for providing security at close to 440 airports
Employs more than 50,000 agents who handle airport security
Screen more than two million passengers every day

Unfortunately, TSA is no longer going to be providing security services at one airport in the United States. The Transportation Security Administration is pulling both agents and equipment out of the airport with no plans to return.

This decision could have long-term consequences that affect the ability of airlines to fly to this airport in the future.

The TSA handles airport security in the U.S.

Frame Stock Footage/Shutterstock

This is the airport that TSA is exiting for good

The Salem Reporter broke the news of TSA exiting the airport, which is located in Oregon. The airport is the Salem-Willamette Valley Airport, which is also known as McNary Field.

“City officials were informed Tuesday that the TSA would no longer regulate the airport,” says Jason Roberts, spokesman for the city’s Public Works Department, according to the Salam Reporter.

This change means that the TSA can remove:

The checked baggage scanner
The full-body scanner
The walk-through metal detector
The X-ray machine
Explosive trace detectors

Why is TSA leaving the airport for good?

TSA is leaving the airport permanently, with no clear plans to return, for a very simple reason. The airport has struggled to find an airline to fly into it.

In July, Aveloa Airlines announced its sudden departure from the airport, less than two years after beginning to operate out of it. Avela was flying to Burbank and Las Vegas, and the city reportedly spent millions of dollars increasing airport staff and renovating the airport to accommodate the commercial carrier.

Unfortunately, when Avelo left, the airport was unable to find another interested airline to come in. The city council authorized $300,000 in city funding to try to subsidize a new airline, and private groups raised $1.2 million to entice an airline to come, but none have expressed interest yet.

“Travel Salem President and CEO Angie Villery told Salem Reporter efforts are ongoing to recruit a new airline. She had no specific updates about interest from carriers,” according to Salem News.

TSA’s departure could have long-term consequences for the airport

Unfortunately, the TSA’s decision to pull out of the airport could have long-term consequences that make it difficult for commercial flights ever to resume.

Roberts explained to the Salem News that once the TSA leaves and the equipment is removed, it could take several months to refederalize the airport and restart commercial flights, even if an airline does decide to come to the airport.

This regional airport is not the only one facing problems

The challenges faced by this regional airport are not isolated ones. They are part of a broader trend that could impact passengers adversely if they lose access to local travel options.

The problem has been ongoing for a while. In 2022, TripSavvy published a disturbing report about regional airlines losing their carriers and not being able to continue offering commercial flights. Some examples included:

American Airlines pulling out of Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut
American Airlines pulling out of Williamsport Regional Airport in Pennsylvania
American Airlines pulling out of Stewart International Airport in New York
United Airlines cutting service on 17 regional routes, including Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana
Delta, American, and United ending or cutting back service to regional airlines in Toledo, Ohio; Ithaca, New York; Long Island, New York; and Dubuque, Iowa.

Consumers are getting hit hard by the loss of regional airports

Unfortunately, this is a huge problem for consumers, given that:

41% of all scheduled departures were initiated at regional airlines in 2021
123 million people took regional flights in 2021
Major airlines fly to only ⅓ of airports in the country

Sadly, cost concerns are likely going to result in this trend continuing, leaving passengers with far fewer options.