Feds say they’re chipping in to ease the stress of flying with kids

Utah’s known for having the biggest families in the nation. Now the federal government wants to make it easier for them to get through security together.

The Federal Aviation Administration sent more than $6 million to the Salt Lake City International Airport to expand its screening checkpoints and set up security lanes for families, part of a broader push to make travel more family-friendly throughout the country.

“These projects will help create a more welcoming and accessible travel experience for families while demonstrating our commitment to improving America’s airports at record speed,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Monday in a prepared statement.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX.

In Salt Lake City, the Transportation Security Administration already sets up a family lane intermittently, but the grant will cover construction for a permanent designated family lane to open sometime late next year or in early 2028 at its main, 2nd level security checkpoint, said airport spokesperson Nancy Volmer. 

“They may have a stroller, they may have a car seat that takes a little extra time to screen, so that will prevent some of the lanes getting backed up for other travelers,” Volmer said. The money will also be used to upgrade the airport’s ground floor screening checkpoint, she added. 

Other grants went to airports in Mississippi, Texas and Vermont to cover the cost of additional security screening to accommodate families, restroom upgrades and a play area. 

President Donald Trump has promised to bring about a “golden age of travel,” and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday that includes making families the priority. 

“We’re making airports inviting spaces for parents and children to relax and recharge prior to boarding,” Duffy said in a statement. 

The announcement comes as the department pushes to hire more air traffic controllers to fill a shortage that’s resulted in mandatory overtime. Collisions on the ground at LaGuardia airport in March and midair near Ronald Reagan National Airport last year drew attention to the stress and strain on the nation’s air traffic controllers. 

On Friday, the department announced it will hire about 2,000 fewer controllers than it had planned for the next two years, saying in a news release that it’s modernizing its scheduling practices instead. 

The $6.6 million for Salt Lake City’s airport is part of a bigger pot of $970 million set aside this year for airport terminal projects in 45 states, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE