TSA staffing triggers 1,394 disruptions
- AirHelp said a Transportation Security Administration staffing crunch disrupted 1,394 U.S. flights by late morning on March 21, after absences surged during the DHS funding lapse. - The sharpest strains hit Houston and New York: Bush Intercontinental topped three-hour waits, and LaGuardia lines reached the parking lot before 5 a.m. - TSA says unpaid staff and record travel volumes are straining checkpoints ahead of the 2026 World Cup. (tsa.gov)
A Transportation Security Administration staffing crunch disrupted 1,394 U.S. flights by late morning on March 21, according to AirHelp. (airhelp.com) AirHelp said the disruptions included 1,319 delays and 75 cancellations across 11 airports, with United Airlines among the carriers hit by the knock-on effects. (airhelp.com) The worst checkpoint backups were in Houston and New York. AirHelp said George Bush Intercontinental topped three-hour waits, while LaGuardia passengers were queuing into the car park by 4:50 a.m. (airhelp.com) The staffing problem traces back to the Department of Homeland Security funding lapse that began on February 14. TSA told Congress on March 25 that the agency had already gone 87 days in fiscal 2026 without paying employees on time. (tsa.gov) TSA said more than 61,000 employees are deemed essential and keep screening passengers during a shutdown, even when pay is delayed. The agency said it screens around three million passengers on peak days. (tsa.gov) By March 9, Houston Hobby had already posted a 216-minute peak security wait, and Houston Airports was telling Hobby passengers to arrive four hours before departure. (travelweekly.com) The pressure did not end when emergency pay resumed. Travel Weekly reported on April 24 that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said stopgap payroll money could run out in the first week of May. (travelweekly.com) The union side says the staffing losses are real. Travel Weekly, citing the American Federation of Government Employees, reported about 47,000 Transportation Security Administration workers in the union’s ranks and warned of harm to worker livelihoods and government services. (travelweekly.com) TSA has warned Congress that the timing is especially tight because the United States will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June, after record airport volumes in 2025. TSA said it screened 906.7 million passengers last year. (tsa.gov) For travelers, the immediate issue is simpler than the politics: longer lines at security can ripple into missed departures, and the checkpoint is where the strain is showing first. (airhelp.com)
