by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:05 AM ET, Fri March 20, 2026
Update: March 20, 2026, at 8:10 a.m. ET
As the partial government shutdown continues to impact the Transportation
Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. Travel Association continues to fight
for the officers working without pay to keep travelers safe across American airports.
“Members of Congress continue to be paid and move to the
front of security lines while TSOs work for free and travelers wait for hours.
That is unacceptable," said Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S.
Travel Association. "Congress is leaving TSOs out in the cold for a second
time in less than six months, gambling with aviation safety and security while
millions of travelers depend on a workforce running on empty. They need to end
the DHS shutdown. Now.”
Officials from U.S. Travel pointed to the hours-long
security lines at airports across the country and a TSA workforce under growing
strain. The group also launched a live tracker showing exactly how many days
TSOs have gone without a paycheck.
“Swift action is needed,” Freeman continued. “Congress must
reach a deal, end the shutdown and enact lasting protections that guarantee
TSOs are never again asked to secure America's skies without a paycheck.”
Update: March 10, 2026, at 7:40 a.m. ET
On Monday night, the United States Travel Association’s
President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued a statement following reports of lengthy
security lines at airports while essential federal aviation employees continue
to work without pay:
“The multi-hour security lines we’re seeing at U.S.
airports, including waits approaching three hours in Houston and extended lines
reported in Atlanta, Charlotte, and New Orleans, show how quickly disruptions
can ripple through the travel system.”
“Hours of delays cost travelers time, and with current
TSA screening rates and spreading delays, could cost the economy nearly $1
billion. With a record-breaking spring travel season just beginning, TSA
officers should not be asked to protect travelers without pay. Congress must
act quickly to fund them.”
Original Text
Travelers waiting in security lines at airports in the
United States on Sunday faced wait times of around three hours due to
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages related to the
partial government shutdown.
According to Reuters.com,
TSA officers at Houston Hobby Airport reported on Sunday wait times of up to
3.5 hours at their worst, while agents at Louis Armstrong New Orleans
International Airport warned of three-hour wait times for travelers.
Some of the busiest airports in the U.S. are warning
travelers to arrive three hours before their scheduled departure time, as
delays associated with the partial government shutdown could persist as Spring
Break travel increases.
“TSA is experiencing a shortage of workers at the security
checkpoint, which is causing longer-than-average lines,” a spokesperson for New
Orleans International said in a social media post.
Other major travel hubs experiencing TSA-related staffing
issues include George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Charlotte
Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport, among others.
Congress failed to reach a deal on funding for the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in February, leaving around 50,000 TSA
airport security screeners working without pay.
“Travelers are facing TSA lines of up to nearly three hours
long at some major airports, causing missed flights and massive delays during
peak travel,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.
In response, Airlines for America (A4A) CEO Chris Sununu
issued a statement on the extended wait times caused by the partial government
shutdown.
“Congress and the administration must act with urgency to
reach a deal that reopens DHS and ends this shutdown. America's transportation
security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage,” Sununu
said.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
