“Members Are Mad”: TSA Union Starts Campaign To Allow Officers To Sit Again At Checkpoints

Credit: Frame Stock Footage | Shutterstock Published Oct 11, 2026, 7:36 PM EDT Paul Thompson is an aviation & travel journalist, photographer, & airplane geek with over 25 years of experience at a large domestic US carrier. He is based in Denver, Colorado. Sign in to your Simple Flying account Enhanced airport security has become a fact of life since terrorists used commercial aircraft to attack targets on US soil on September 11, 2001. The Transportation Security Administration was created two months later to establish consistent security protocols for air travel. While many of us have felt dehumanized at some point during the screening experience, the people doing the screening have recently become subject to a new indignity. On September 25, TSA officials ordered the removal of all chairs for all document screening positions in airports. TSA agents are represented by the Association of Federal Government Employees (AFGE), which covers over 820,000 government employees in the US. The AFGE has vowed to fight back against this change of policy. A Fight For "Basic Safety And Common Decency" Credit: Jim Lambert | Shutterstock The AFGE says its leaders were not consulted prior to the policy change becoming public. AFGE spokesperson Johnny Jones said, "These chairs serve as basic ergonomic and safety support for officers that stand and walk on hard surfaces all day," and called the chairs, "Basic safety and common decency." The AFGE has also told its members to reach out to their congressional representatives for support. Jones told The Guardian that the response from AFGE members was about the same as when they've had government shutdowns. It doesn't matter how comfortable your shoes are. Standing stationary for extended periods of time becomes painful, even on an ergonomic floor mat. A TSA spokesperson painted a more cheerful look at the change for ABC News. "This welcome change reinforces both our security posture and our commitment to hospitality by having these officers on their feet and alert. All officers must meet fitness for duty requirements to be capable of performing their vital national security function while simultaneously creating a welcoming and professional environment for travelers." Long-Term Standing Can Be Physically Harmful Credit: Elliott Cowand Jr | Shutterstock The National Institutes of Health says prolonged standing at work can carry certain health risks, listing lower back and leg pain, cardiovascular problems, fatigue, discomfort, and pregnancy-related health outcomes. A 2002 study of professional hairdressers found they commonly experienced back, neck, and shoulder pain from respondents who reported standing 82 to 99 percent of the time while working. In addition to screening identification documents before passengers travel, most other TSA roles also require standing for long periods. Transportation Security Officers (TSO) stand while conducting hand or wand searches for those who don't pass the initial screening. Behavior Detection Officers (BDO) walk through crowds to monitor passenger behavior and identify potential threats. Baggage screeners stand while conducting physical searches of carry-on bags that are flagged during the X-ray process. Many other airport jobs involve standing for long periods. Airline customer service agents and operations agents often stand while checking in passengers or boarding flights. People sorting bags as they are checked in are required to stand next to rotating bag belts, and gate crews who load the planes also stand on concrete before the flight departs. These positions often work back-to-back flights with little opportunity for rest. "Nobody Asked For This" Credit: Adam McCullough | Shutterstock Identification document screening was one of only two positions where TSA agents were previously allowed to sit. Baggage screeners at X-ray machines are still allowed to sit, due to recommendations from the manufacturers of the machines. AFGE spokesperson Hydrick Thomas said, “Nobody who works a checkpoint asked for this. Nobody who flies asked for this,” in a statement. AFGE has launched a site at which passengers can complete a petition form to support the return of TSA workers' chairs. It has received over 1,000 signatures at the time this story was written. The site says, "The justification provided by management has nothing to do with airport security and everything to do with making the workplace unbearable for dedicated public servants, [and] will undoubtedly negatively impact worker safety. For 76 days in February and March this year, TSA employees endured a period of working for no pay during a prolonged government shutdown. During that time, security lines became snarled at airport across the US as TSA workers called out, unable to afford working for no pay. Although backpay is eventually given for time worked, hundreds of officers quit or resigned during the shutdown.