Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Interview With Chris Rhatigan
Aired November 30, 2003 - 10:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: The effects of the turkey and stuffing are a fading memory right now, and Thanksgiving travelers must make their way home. The nation's roadways are bustling, and, yes, airport terminals are frantic with passengers who have got to be back tomorrow.
It is about 10:10 this morning, Eastern Time. CNN's Patty Davis is covering the busiest travel day of the year from Reagan National Airport, just outside Washington. And Patty, we've watched the crowds grow as your reports have gone on today. How are things shaping up now?
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you're watching them go down fast. At this point, the morning rush hour here at Reagan National Airport is done. One hundred and six thousand people expected to pass through this airport, as well as Dulles International Airport. And here is what it looked like earlier today.
You saw a lot of people. You saw about 10 to 15-minute delays at those passenger-screening checkpoints, at bag screenings. Right where we are, we had seen bodes of those scanning machines working at a frantic pace pushing bags through.
Well, how does it look in the rest of the country? We're joined by Chris Rhatigan with the Transportation Security Administration. Where are you seeing the worst delays now, Chris, at this point?
CHRIS RHATIGAN, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, TSA: This was probably one of the worst delays that I have seen. We had a 20-minute delay on Wednesday. But by far, the airport travel is moving very well.
DAVIS: Well, now lots of airports are complaining about not having enough screeners because those 6,000 screener positions were cut this fall. How are they coping now this holiday week?
RHATIGAN: What we've done is Admiral Loy has had all hands come on deck to provide customer service-type functions for the lines, both at the passenger security checkpoint and at baggage screening areas. That would allow more of our screeners to be deployed to do that absolutely necessary screening function.
We're bringing in part-time screeners. They're actually joining us tomorrow. And they'll continue to do that. But right now, we've got 100 percent of the lanes that are operational, functioning during the peak travel times. It's a commitment that we've made to the American traveler. DAVIS: OK, great. Thanks a lot.
RHATIGAN: You're welcome.
DAVIS: Chris Rhatigan, from the Transportation Security Administration. So very few delays here at Reagan National Airport. In fact, it's about a minute right now to get through those screening checkpoints. And very few flight delays in the air as well. A good Thanksgiving weekend so far.
Back to you, Sean.
CALLEBS: Patty, people are forced to wait an entire minute to get through there? That's great news.
DAVIS: Yes, I know. It's rough.
CALLEBS: Thanks very much. Patty Davis at Reagan National.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 30, 2003 - 10:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: The effects of the turkey and stuffing are a fading memory right now, and Thanksgiving travelers must make their way home. The nation's roadways are bustling, and, yes, airport terminals are frantic with passengers who have got to be back tomorrow.
It is about 10:10 this morning, Eastern Time. CNN's Patty Davis is covering the busiest travel day of the year from Reagan National Airport, just outside Washington. And Patty, we've watched the crowds grow as your reports have gone on today. How are things shaping up now?
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you're watching them go down fast. At this point, the morning rush hour here at Reagan National Airport is done. One hundred and six thousand people expected to pass through this airport, as well as Dulles International Airport. And here is what it looked like earlier today.
You saw a lot of people. You saw about 10 to 15-minute delays at those passenger-screening checkpoints, at bag screenings. Right where we are, we had seen bodes of those scanning machines working at a frantic pace pushing bags through.
Well, how does it look in the rest of the country? We're joined by Chris Rhatigan with the Transportation Security Administration. Where are you seeing the worst delays now, Chris, at this point?
CHRIS RHATIGAN, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, TSA: This was probably one of the worst delays that I have seen. We had a 20-minute delay on Wednesday. But by far, the airport travel is moving very well.
DAVIS: Well, now lots of airports are complaining about not having enough screeners because those 6,000 screener positions were cut this fall. How are they coping now this holiday week?
RHATIGAN: What we've done is Admiral Loy has had all hands come on deck to provide customer service-type functions for the lines, both at the passenger security checkpoint and at baggage screening areas. That would allow more of our screeners to be deployed to do that absolutely necessary screening function.
We're bringing in part-time screeners. They're actually joining us tomorrow. And they'll continue to do that. But right now, we've got 100 percent of the lanes that are operational, functioning during the peak travel times. It's a commitment that we've made to the American traveler. DAVIS: OK, great. Thanks a lot.
RHATIGAN: You're welcome.
DAVIS: Chris Rhatigan, from the Transportation Security Administration. So very few delays here at Reagan National Airport. In fact, it's about a minute right now to get through those screening checkpoints. And very few flight delays in the air as well. A good Thanksgiving weekend so far.
Back to you, Sean.
CALLEBS: Patty, people are forced to wait an entire minute to get through there? That's great news.
DAVIS: Yes, I know. It's rough.
CALLEBS: Thanks very much. Patty Davis at Reagan National.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
