TSA disruptions: Why some airports have long security lines and others don't Airport security lines are stretching for hours at some major hubs, while travelers at others are breezing through in minutes. The uneven experience reflects how the partial government shutdown is affecting airports and TSA workers differently, as staffing levels, passenger volume, and airport operations drive wide variations in wait times. TSA officers have been working without pay since February 14, and according to the Department of Homeland Security, nearly 500 have quit since the funding lapse began. More than 11% of scheduled TSA officers—over 3,120 people—called out of work Wednesday, according to DHS. Before the shutdown, the national call-out rate hovered around 4%. Which airports have the highest call-out rates? At some of the nation’s busiest airports, including George Bush Intercontinental in Houston and Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, call-out rates have been much higher, around 40% this week. John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have also seen call-out rates well above the national average, topping 30% recently. Each of those airports has experienced significant security delays at times in the past week. Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement that the partial shutdown has forced thousands of TSA workers to call out from work because they can’t afford basic expenses like gas and child care. Some officers are even sleeping at airports or in their cars because they can’t afford the commute to and from work, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal labor union.#dhs #tsa #american_federation_of_government_employees #george_bush_intercontinental #hartsfield_jackson_atlanta
