TSA Workers Facing COVID Vaccination Deadline Right Before Thanksgiving Holiday Travel

OAKLAND (KPIX 5) -- Just last month, the problem at the airport was flight cancellations. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, the problem could be getting through airport security.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at Oakland International Airport were long on Wednesday, but that could change in 12 days when a federal vaccine mandate deadline hits security screeners.

For those looking at their calendar - that is the Monday before Thanksgiving.

The American Federation of Government Employees which represents TSA workers on Tuesday asked the White House to postpone the vaccination deadline until Jan. 4.

"We are anticipating that it will continued and amplified further as we enter the Thanksgiving period for a number of reasons - of one of them, potentially is the vaccine mandate," said Marc Casto, president of Leisure Americas for Flight Centre Travel Group.

Late last month, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, told Congress that only 60 percent of TSA screeners were vaccinated. Leaders are hoping those numbers tick up, as nearly 95% of all domestic flights have returned to the skies.

Casto says give yourself at least 90 minutes at the airport for Thanksgiving travel if you don't want to miss your plane.

"We can expect for the winter holidays to be well in excess of current trends," said Casto. "At present, TSA is managing current trends, but come the holidays it will be excessive."