Airport security employees checking boarding passes and IDs will no longer be allowed to sit down while working, the Transportation Security Administration confirmed Tuesday.
All chairs are being removed from the travel document checker podiums at the entrance to checkpoints nationwide, the union representing the screeners said. The American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council 100 said it found out about the decision from its members and called it a “disregard for workers’ rights and safety.”
The TSA’s Defense
TSA defended the move, saying the document checkers are the first to interact with the traveling public and requiring them to stand will create a better experience for passengers.
“This welcome change reinforces both our security posture and our commitment to hospitality by having these officers on their feet and alert,” the agency said in a statement. “All officers must meet fitness for duty requirements to be capable of performing their vital national security function while simultaneously creating a welcoming and professional environment for travelers.”
The move comes nearly two months after TSA Administrator David Cummins was confirmed to lead the agency.
The Union’s Response
The removal of chairs, the union said, has already begun in most commercial airports. There was no formal notification to AFGE or any of its local chapters, according to one union leader.
“These chairs serve as basic ergonomic and safety support for officers that stand and walk on hard surfaces all day,” the AFGE Council 100 statement read. “TSA is treating this matter like it is a privilege — it is not; it is basic safety and common decency for the workforce.”
The Broader Changes
As TSA approaches the 25th anniversary of its founding in November, Cummins has held meetings to “rapidly advance key strategic initiatives” as part of a program dubbed Horizon 25.
“TSA does not have to choose between a secure checkpoint, an efficient checkpoint, and an elevated passenger experience,” he said in a statement announcing the initiative. The program includes expanding TSA PreCheck, rolling out new technology, privatizing some checkpoints, and “improving the passenger experience.”
It is not clear whether requiring officers to stand while checking documents relates to this overhaul.
The Bottom Line
The TSA has removed chairs from document checkpoints nationwide, requiring officers to stand while checking boarding passes and IDs. The agency says standing creates a better passenger experience and reinforces security. The union representing screeners calls it a disregard for worker safety and rights. The move comes as TSA launches a broader strategic overhaul under new Administrator David Cummins.
My Opinion
The TSA says standing makes officers “alert” and creates a “welcoming” experience for travelers. Let us be honest about what this actually is. It is a cosmetic decision dressed up as a security measure. The officer checking your ID does not become more alert because a chair was taken away. They become more tired. More uncomfortable. More likely to make mistakes.
The union is right. Chairs at document checkpoints are not a perk. They are basic ergonomic support for workers who stand on hard surfaces for hours at a time. Removing them without notice, without consultation, and without explanation is not leadership. It is contempt for the workforce.
If TSA genuinely wanted to improve the passenger experience, it would hire more officers, reduce wait times, and invest in better technology. Instead, it is making the job harder for the people on the front lines. That is not hospitality. That is optics. And the officers paying the price will not forget it.
