As the partial shutdown nears one month, some travelers have been stuck in security lines that are hours long at selected airports throughout the US.
On Sunday, 8 March major hubs TSA lines were reported as long as 3.5 hours at Houston Hobby International Airport(HOU) and New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport(MSY). viral videos Showing lines spilling out into the parking lot and the terminal. According to reports, the lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas stretched for two hours on Friday morning. local news reports.
Aside from these extreme cases most US airports are experiencing wait times that are close to average. TSA workers missed their first paycheck last Friday.
The number of staff absentees has doubled since funding for Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which ended on 14 February, CBS News The report is a DHS officials say More than 300 TSA agents have resigned since the shutdown began. The situation at each airport will continue to be different, according to the leader of the federal union for TSA agents. New York Times After their official pay stop on Friday, he anticipates that the number of TSA officials who show up to work will “dramatically change”.
The worker shortage coincides with the peak of spring break travel during which record numbers of people are traveling. 171 million passengers Some airports, like AUS, expect their busiest times in terms of passenger volume to be at the end of March and early April. AUS, for example, expects its busiest period in terms of passenger numbers to fall at the end and beginning of April.
Many US hubs are still operating as usual. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, for example. posted online Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) reported that all of its checkpoints had normal waiting times on Friday. Friday wait times Only two minutes were required. On Friday, security operations in the New York region were slower. At Newark Liberty International, and New York JFK, wait times ranged up to 30 mins for the TSA general checkpoint at certain terminals.
Situations at airports continue to vary on a regular basis. TSA, for example, was unable to access the airport on Thursday. began a temporary closure Terminal C at Philadelphia International Airport is being closed due to a lack of security personnel. TSA officers are being reassigned out of Terminal C and into other terminals to move the lines faster. normal wait times On Friday,
Here’s what travelers should do to prepare, regardless of where they’re departing from.
How can I check the TSA waiting times for my flight before it leaves?
Check the website of your airport for the most recent information about TSA waiting times. Major airports update their estimates for security checkpoints across terminals every hour.
Note that TSA estimates wait times at every US airport on the MyTSA application. These numbers are based mostly on historical data and do not reflect current conditions. These numbers may not be up-to-date, given current conditions.
How to access the TSA express lanes
You can prepare yourself to deal with crowded security checks. TSA PreCheck Global Entry Both of these are now up and running. Enrollment TSA PreCheck PreCheck gives passengers the option to use a faster screening lane, which means they do not have to remove large electronic devices or liquids from their bags. PreCheck applications may take several days or even a few week to be processed.
