Airports across the United States experienced major TSA Delays Monday morning as the partial shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security continued with no clear resolution. The shutdown has affected staffing levels at the Transportation Security Administration, leading to longer security lines and significant wait times at airport checkpoints.
Long lines were seen at various airports, with many TSA employees calling in unscheduled absences after not receiving paychecks. Funding for the department has been stalled since mid-February, resulting from a political standoff between Republicans and Democrats over federal immigration reform.
Security wait times were over three hours Monday morning at William P. Hobby Airport, similar to wait times the previous day. Travelers were advised to arrive at the airport four to five hours before their scheduled flight to ensure that they do not miss their flights.
“Strong travel demand, along with fewer operating security lanes, contribute to longer wait times. As more passengers arrive at the airport, wait times increase quickly,” Jim Sczesniak, director of aviation at Houston Airports, said in a social media post.
In spite of earlier plans to shut down the TSA PreCheck during the shutdown, the TSA has left the TSA PreCheck checkpoints open. The TSA PreCheck allows travelers to pass more quickly through security checkpoints if they have passed a background check and paid the fee. However, the other trusted traveler program, Global Entry, is still shut down.
At the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, travelers are warned that the security lines could take as long as two hours. Travelers are urged to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight.
Video footage from WWL-TV showed the security line going out of the terminal and into the parking garage. “The line was going deep into the garage and went around multiple times before even getting to the entrance of the terminal.”
The airport officials said that the federal shutdown has reduced the staffing levels at the TSA checkpoints, and therefore, the passengers are experiencing longer-than-normal wait times. Additional staff members are being deployed at the airport to help manage the crowds and provide guidance to the passengers.
Similarly, the passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are experiencing longer-than-normal wait times. On Monday morning, the passengers were experiencing wait times of almost one hour at the airport.
The passengers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport are experiencing longer-than-normal wait times at the security checkpoints.
Photographs from Bush Airport showed people waiting outside the terminal at the sidewalk in the arrivals area, where the security line went beyond the terminal itself.
TSA employees were only paid in part on the 28th of February, and the first full paycheck they will miss is expected to be the 14th of March. The shutdown has caused financial strain for the employees, which is why there is a staffing issue at security checkpoints.
