Partial Government Shutdown Affects TSA Employees and Airport Security
As the partial government shutdown drags on, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees find themselves unpaid because of funding issues at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
During the weekend, many airports in the U.S. faced long security delays, prompting TSA officers to report for work despite not being compensated.
The TSA disclosed that on Sunday, the national callout rate reached 10.19%—a record high for the agency.
A video that went viral from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas showed passengers standing in long lines outside the airport. The airport itself shared a clip on its social media account on Saturday, highlighting travelers starting to line up as early as 4:30 a.m.
The caption noted the anticipation of record numbers, stating, “Approximately 38,000 people will depart today,” and advised, “For domestic flights, please arrive at least two and a half hours before departure.”
On both Sunday and Saturday, passengers faced wait times of up to 80 minutes, with the longest reported delay being 90 minutes on March 13th.
In New York City, LaGuardia Airport saw wait times nearing three hours and a callout rate of 25.84% that same Sunday. Nearby, JFK Airport recorded a 28.2% callout rate, while Newark Liberty International Airport had a callout rate of 13.83%.
During the shutdown, average callout rates from Sunday were 10.24% for EWR, 21.40% for JFK, and 12.68% for LaGuardia. TSA officials confirmed that over 300 airport security staff members have taken unscheduled leave since the DHS shutdown started.
An American travel website, The Points Guy, even referenced the situation in Austin, jokingly calling it the “TSA Hunger Games” due to the chaotic lines at numerous airports across the nation.
The Points Guy shared some tips for travelers, urging them not to settle for the longest lines. They suggested checking for multiple entry points and highlighted that services like CLEAR and TSA PreCheck can speed things up considerably. “I went through a touchless TSA PreCheck in just two minutes,” they mentioned.
Additionally, travelers were reminded that being kind is crucial during this stressful time. With TSA workers going unpaid, frustration shouldn’t be directed at frontline staff, who are just trying to do their jobs.
Deondre White, a TSA official at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, expressed the challenges faced. She mentioned how her family’s financial backing helped her continue to come to work during this tough period. Despite everything, she stated, “Once we’re here, we’re going to do our best, as always. We take our mission very seriously.”
