by Donald Wood
Last updated: 7:50 AM ET, Thu March 12, 2026
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is feeling
the pressure of the partial
government shutdown, which began on February 14, as unscheduled absences
among officers have “more than doubled,” and over 300 officers have left the
agency.
According to TSA data obtained by ABCNews.com,
around 60,000 TSA employees have gone nearly a month without pay, and many are
expected to no longer receive a paycheck this week due to the ongoing shutdown.
Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are
reportedly concerned that additional officers could leave the agency if the
shutdown continues. As a result, wait times at airports across the country continue
to fluctuate, with many warning travelers to arrive three hours early to avoid
potential missed flights.
Data showed that the average
callout rate for TSA agents is around two percent, but has climbed to 6.16
percent during the shutdown. New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport
is reporting the highest callout rate at around 21 percent.
Other airports reporting an increase in TSA callouts include
Atlanta (19 percent), Houston (18 percent), Louis Armstrong New Orleans
International Airport (14 percent), and Pittsburgh International Airport (13 percent).
Thankfully for travelers, the temporarily shuttered TSA Global
Entry program has now been restarted as of Wednesday, March 11, and the travel
industry is applauding the move.
“We welcome today’s decision by the White House and leaders
at U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reopen
Global Entry and reaffirm the value of Trusted Traveler Programs,” U.S.
Travel Association President and CEO, Geoff Freeman, said.
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