As hundreds of thousands of attendees sought return flights following Super Bowl LII, the local branch of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) set a one-day record for security screenings.
In total, MSP TSA screened 60,883 people over the Monday after the game, shattering the previously held record of 47,200 people set in March last year. It is also almost double the airport’s normal screens–which average around 34,000 people. The day also marked a record breaker for checked bags, at 34,368 checked bags–well over the 17,900 bags the airport sees on an average day.
“Team MSP offered up an amazing farewell from the Bold North of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis,” TSA Federal Security Director for Minnesota Cliff Van Leuven said. “I couldn’t be more pleased and proud after getting so many positive comments from passengers and staff yesterday. What a game and what a “day-after-the-game” by our team.”
To meet the extra passenger load, local TSA agents were bolstered by more than 100 TSA officers from other airports. In addition, 20 passenger screening canines were on hand to search for explosives.