Need a passport? Be prepared to wait as processing balloons
The U.S. passport backlog now sits at 1.5 to 2 million deep
Airlines struggle to find qualified pilots as travel rates rise
FOX Business' Jeff Flock speaks with Western Michigan College of Aviation Dean Dave Powell on the need for qualified pilots as air travel resumes.
Need a passport? Be prepared to wait as the U.S. backlog now sits at 1.5 million to 2 million deep.
The processing time for regular passports is now up to 18 weeks, Rachel Arndt, deputy assistant secretary for passport services, said. The wait time for expedited passports is 12 weeks.
That's up from six to eight weeks for regular applications and two to three weeks for expedited orders.
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For those who may require urgent travel needs, while the State Department does offer that option, Arndt says those slots are "extremely limited."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 14.61 | +0.09 | +0.62% |
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 63.41 | -0.41 | -0.64% |
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 97.44 | +0.61 | +0.63% |
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 33.00 | +0.64 | +1.98% |
DELTA POSTS FIRST QUARTERLY PROFIT SINCE COVID
The delay comes as global travel snaps back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Delta, on Wednesday, reported its first quarterly profit since the pandemic, while American Airlines upped its financial forecasts as the industry rebounds faster than expected.
The TSA said the July 4th holiday weekend saw "over 10 million passengers travel safely through security checkpoints. With some airports already exceeding 2019 travel volumes and many not far behind, we expect the summer to remain busy for travel."
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Fox News' Rich Edson contributed to this report.