TSA Lines to Remain Long for Weeks Despite Funding Deal, Agents Warn
After nearly six weeks of partial government shutdowns that have triggered record-high security line wait times at airports nationwide during the peak spring break season, travelers should prepare for delays to persist. Experts caution that it could take several weeks or even over a month for lines to return to normal levels, despite recent legislative action.
Paychecks Key to Recovery
A Transportation Security Administration officer at Indianapolis International Airport, who requested anonymity to avoid management repercussions, told HuffPost that affected airports will not immediately revert to normal until TSA officers see their paychecks. The Senate passed funding for parts of Homeland Security on Friday morning, with the House expected to vote soon, but financial relief is critical.
"Most people who can’t come in, [it’s] probably for financial reasons, and it wouldn’t change until money is in the account," the agent said, referring to TSA agents. "Some unlucky folks may fight tooth and nail to get their paycheck, as I know two officers [who] never got their back pay from the 43-day shutdown."
Another TSA agent at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, also speaking anonymously, emphasized that the timing depends entirely on their paychecks. "It depends on how quickly we get our missing pay," they explained. "Last shutdown, it took a week or two after they got themselves sorted."
Staffing Crisis Deepens Delays
The slow recovery is understandable given the severe staffing crisis. More than 450 TSA agents have quit since the partial government shutdown began on February 14, leading to the highest wait times in TSA history, with some exceeding four and a half hours, according to Ha Nguyen McNeill, the acting head of the TSA, in testimony to a House committee on Wednesday.
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security reported that over 30% of TSA workers called out from major airports, including:
- New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Baltimore’s BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport
- Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
The Indianapolis agent noted that recovery timelines vary by airport: "If [it’s] an airport with a high [call-out] rate and no people quit, then you’re looking at when the paycheck arrives at the latest. But if it’s an airport with a lot of fired workers or quits, then it may take a month or more, depending on that airport’s hiring queue."
Expedited Programs Also Affected
Expedited programs like TSA PreCheck have also seen increased wait times in recent weeks, though members may experience faster improvements. "PreCheck at [Indianapolis] stays the priority," the Indianapolis TSA agent said. "From my experience, they probably would try to get PreCheck open to good times, and standard times would probably take a dip until TSO numbers replenish."
Causes of the Shutdown
The shutdown occurred after the Senate failed to approve funding for Homeland Security in February, leaving the DHS without funding for its 2026 budget to pay workers such as TSA agents. Lawmakers were unable to agree on spending allocations for airport security, disaster relief, and other national security areas. The impasse stemmed from Democrats demanding reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year at the hands of federal agents.
TSA officers are considered essential workers, forcing them to work without pay for the past 40 days. This has led to high quit rates and significantly longer security wait times at major airports, compounding travel disruptions during a busy season.
