TSA line at Atlanta airport during DHS closure
USA TODAY’s Eve Chen takes you inside the world’s busiest airport during the DHS shutdown.
U.S. travelers are facing record wait times at airports as the partial government shutdown continues to strain Transportation Security Administration staffing.
The ongoing closure has caused chaos at the airport. Hundreds of TSA employees have retired and thousands are working without pay. Security wait times at some airports can be three hours or more, potentially causing air travelers to miss their flights or experience long delays. Passengers at busy airports may wait even longer than estimated wait times.
USA TODAY collects current wait time estimates from 35 major U.S. airports on its website. Wait times for these airports are updated every 10 minutes.
But some airports, including Los Angeles’ LAX and New York’s JFK, have removed wait-time estimates from their websites, citing unpredictable passenger numbers and staffing shortages, while urging travelers to allow extra time. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport specifically advises travelers to arrive at least four hours in advance.
Some other airports, such as Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, do not provide actual wait time estimates.
