TSA backups for spring travel
Travelers should expect longer TSA lines this spring after a partial government shutdown left many TSA officers unpaid — airports nationwide are reporting increased checkpoint wait times and officials urge arriving earlier than usual The Hill, Today Show.
The Department of Homeland Security funding lapse began on Feb. 14, 2026, and about 90% of DHS’s roughly 260,000 employees have continued working without pay. federalnewsnetwork.com Many TSA officers received no money in the paycheck issued March 13, 2026, marking the first full missed paycheck for large numbers of screeners. wusf.org Unscheduled absences among TSA officers “more than doubled” since mid‑February, and the agency reported over 300 officer separations during the shutdown period. abcnews.com Security‑checkpoint waits peaked at about three hours at hubs including Houston Hobby (HOU), JFK and Newark (EWR) during the March 8–9 weekend, according to Reuters reporting. usnews.com Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta and Louis Armstrong New Orleans both reported multi‑hour delays and public advisories about disruptions over the same weekend. cnbc.com Local responses have included a Denver International Airport gift‑card drive for unpaid officers and reporting from Sacramento that some TSA employees have slept in cars amid financial strain. msn.com Union leaders such as AFGE Local 1260 president Bobby Orozco Jr. have publicly warned of staffing strain, and AFGE Council 100 says it represents roughly 45,000 TSA officers nationwide. foxla.com The partial shutdown passed the one‑month mark on March 14, 2026, as DHS and airport officials warned the staffing and pay issues could persist until Congress funds the department. federalnewsnetwork.com
