PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.      7a 
STAFF BRIEFING 
Date of Meeting    October 11, 2016 
DATE:    September 23, 2016 
TO:     Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Wendy Reiter, Director Security 
Daniel Zenk, Senior Manager  Airport Operations 
SUBJECT:  Airport Security Checkpoint Queue Management Wait Time Briefing 
SYNOPSIS 
The Commission briefing will provide details of progress made in the past six months to
reduce airport security checkpoint wait times through the use of contract personnel in
strategic positions, such as queue management and in  Transportation Security
Administration (TSA). Additionally, staff will present efficiency improvements made to
the checkpoint queue configurations. 
BACKGROUND 
In 2015, the airport experienced a 13% growth in the number of passengers using its
terminal facility. In 2016, it is forecast the growth will increase an additional 9%,
reaching a volume of over 46 million passengers per year. In the summer of 2015, the
airport experienced higher than normal passenger wait times at its security checkpoints.
Wait times were often around 40-45 minutes on average with maximum wait times
reaching around 75 minutes on occasion. The increase was primarily due to the higher
volume of passengers traveling during peak hours (4am to 2pm-daily) and an inability to
increase staffing levels to handle the rapid growth. 
In February 2016, airport security checkpoints began to experience higher and higher
wait times, due to an increase in passenger volumes and flight activity. Port staff in
collaboration with TSA and the airlines formed an action task force to examine possible
ways to reduce passenger wait times and improve efficiency at all checkpoints. As a
result, in April 2016, the Port Commissioners approved an emergency procurement for
staff to enlist the services of a private contractor (HSS) and add resources for security
checkpoint queue management. The scope of the contract included HSS to provide 90
employees to support the increase passenger volume and to help reduce wait times at
each checkpoint. The contract positions identified in the scope were as follows: 
1.  Divesting Officer (DO)  TSA certified position 
2.  Revesting Officer (RO)  non-certified position 
3.  Queue managers  front of line position 
4.  Diverter  load balancing position 

Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
Page 2 of 3 
In May 2016, HSS hired and trained 90 employees in each of the identified positions and
began service. Checkpoint wait times dropped immediately from an average of 40-45
minutes to approximately 20-25 minutes in duration. Staff quickly learned that
supplementing TSA with additional  divesting officers  allowed for more security
screening lanes to open and wait times to be reduced. Before HSS began, TSA was
opening 18-20 screening lanes. After HSS, TSA was able to place officers in position to
open 24-28 lanes during peak hours. Additionally, the Port conducted a four day
efficiency event (LEAN event) to identify other areas of improvement. The event offered
opportunities to identify; test; and implement greater efficiencies in the following areas: 
1.  Queue configurations and use of K9 teams 
2.  Divesting areas 
3.  Revesting areas 
4.  Load balancing 
Implementation to correct the inefficiencies yielded an additional reduction of passenger
wait times. Average wait times dropped from approximately 20-25 minutes to about 17-
20 minutes. 
In June 2016, and as a result of the LEAN event, staff requested additional 30 HSS
employees (a total of  120 employees) to further help with efficiency in queue
management and in preparation for the August (the busiest month of the year). Additional
positions needed were at the Ticket Document Check (TDC) podiums, in the queue line
to assist passengers with pre-divesting preparation, and additional divesting officer
positions. 
In August 2016, the airport experienced a record high passenger volume of over 67,000
passengers per day. A majority of those passengers went through the checkpoints during
peak hours and the wait times averaged approximate 12 minutes. 
In September 2016, due to the decrease in passenger traffic, HSS has reduced staffing
levels in queue management positions from 120 to 50 employees. The focus for HSS 
through the end of the year will be to provide employees in the divesting officer position
and give TSA the flexibility to open additional screening lanes when needed. 
HSS contract will expire Jan 7, 2017. They will provide services throughout the
upcoming Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays. They will be focusing on
divesting only while Port Staff  Pathfinders will be backfilling the queue management. 
Overall, Port staff in collaboration with TSA and the airlines learned that adding staff to
the divesting officer position allows for additional screening lanes to open and a
reduction in passenger wait times. Additional staff at the TDC podiums, revesting area, in
the queue and at the front of the line improves customer service and reduces wait times,
but only minimally.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
Page 3 of 3 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
PowerPoint presentation 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
April 19, 2016  Approval for an emergency hire of HSS to provide queue
management services.