TSA agents are losing their checkpoint chairs in a controversial new move

TSA officers may now be standing, not sitting, while checking travelers’ IDs at airport security checkpoints.(Pedro Portal/The Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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The move comes nearly two months after TSA Administrator David Cummins took the helm of the agency and launched an initiative to improve the passenger experience.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) TSA Council 100, which representsTSA officers, criticized the new policy, saying it was not consulted before the change was implemented at most TSA-staffed airports across the U.S.

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Not allU.S.airportsare staffed by TSA officers, however.About 20 airports, including San Francisco International Airport and Kansas City International Airport, use private security screeners under the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program.

The union hasreportedly arguedthe chairs provide basic ergonomic and safety support for officers who spend long hours standing and walking on hard floors, and said it plans to challenge the change.

The new policy applies to TSA officers assigned to check passengers’ identification at U.S.airports before security screening.(Valerie Plesch/Getty Images)

“The hard floors they are standing on do not offer any support, which can cause foot and back issues,” said Daniel Bubb, Ph.D., a commercial aviation professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Bubb, who was previously an airline customer service representative and performed airport security duties, said providing anti-fatigue mats for officers on their feet could help reduce strain from standing on hard airport floors.

“The hard floors they are standing on do not offer any support, which can cause foot and back issues.”

The policy applies only to officers assigned to check passengers’ IDs beforesecurity screening, according to reports. 

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Officers who operate X-ray scanners for carry-ons may continue to do so while seated, and TSA officers typically rotate through several checkpoint assignments during an eight-hour shift, a spokesperson for the agency toldThe New York Times.

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The TSA says the new policy that officers stand instead of sit is intended to help create a more welcoming and professional experience for travelers.(iStock)

Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expertand author of the blog “View From the Wing,�

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“As a passenger, I don’t care whether the person checking my ID is sitting,” Leff said.“They should be paying attention, treating passengers with respect and moving the line efficiently.”

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He added, “I’m not sure a stool is a problem.”