Airport wait times are longest in TSA history, agency says
8 hours ago
- #air travel
- #TSA
- #government shutdown
- Air travelers in the U.S. are experiencing the longest TSA wait times in history due to the partial government shutdown.
- TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill reported a 25% increase in officer separations during the 43-day shutdown last fall.
- Over 480 TSA officers have been lost during the current shutdown, leading to increased callouts and wait times.
- Some airports report 40-50% of staff calling off work due to financial hardship, causing wait times exceeding 4.5 hours.
- TSA is consolidating lanes and considering closing smaller airports due to insufficient staffing.
- Absences among TSA workers peaked over the weekend, with over a third of staff absent in major airports like Houston, NYC, and Atlanta.