Orlando airport wait times spike amid spring break travel Travelers at Orlando International Airport faced significant delays as spring break crowds overwhelmed the facility, with wait times reaching around 40 minutes during peak hours on Monday. The surge in passengers, combined with ongoing staffing challenges at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), contributed to prolonged security lines that stretched through terminal hallways. The delays at Orlando followed reports of widespread staffing shortages at major U.S. airports, including Houston, where nearly half of the TSA workforce was absent on Saturday. These call-outs have disrupted operations across the country, leading to extended wait times for passengers. While Orlando officials confirmed the airport is not currently listed among facilities experiencing high staff call-out rates, the impact of national staffing issues is still evident at the local level. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are set to deploy at 14 airports starting Monday, though Orlando has not yet received notification of its inclusion in the list. Despite this, travelers are being urged to allow extra time for airport navigation, particularly during the morning and late afternoon when security lines are typically the busiest. The situation highlights the strain on airport infrastructure during peak travel periods, with federal staffing shortages exacerbating delays. As spring break continues to drive increased passenger traffic, the challenges faced at Orlando International Airport reflect broader issues affecting air travel across the nation.#transportation_security_administration #spring_break #tampa #orlando_international_airport #u_s_immigration_and_customs_enforcement
Unpaid TSA Workers Struggle Amid Government Shutdown, Straining Airports and Travelers Travelers faced prolonged delays at major airports as unpaid Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers struggled to stay on duty during a partial government shutdown. Security lines stretched for hours, with wait times expected to worsen over the weekend. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, passengers endured over two hours in security lines by early Saturday, while delays at Orlando and JFK airports reached an hour and half, respectively. Carlos Monroe, a traveler whose family missed a 6 a.m. flight after waiting more than three hours, criticized the situation, calling it “not fair” and lamenting that “the big people aren’t paying the price for the little people.” The financial strain on TSA officers, who have been working without full pay since mid-February, has led to widespread absenteeism and resignations. Nearly 10% of TSA workers called in sick on Thursday, just below the record 10.22% absentee rate set earlier in the week. Over 366 officers have quit since the shutdown began, according to the Department of Homeland Security. At Hartsfield-Jackson, more than a third of screeners were absent earlier this week, forcing passengers to wait in security lines for up to two hours. In Houston, over half of TSA workers called out on Friday, exacerbating the crisis. The situation has reached a breaking point for many workers, who are grappling with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, and empty bank accounts.#hartsfieldjackson_atlanta_international_airport #transportation_security_administration #john_pistole #orlando_international_airport #sean_duffy
