Since last month, the Department of Homeland Security has been hamstrung by a Democrat-led government shutdown singling the agency out. Now, citizens — and especially air travelers — are paying the price due to a lack of department funding.
Security lines at airports across the nation have reportedly been “out the door” in some instances in the past couple of days, as DHS highlighted on Sunday.
‘The best advice we can share with travelers is simple: plan ahead, arrive early and stay in communication with your airline.’
DHS wrote on X: “SECURITY LINES OUT THE DOOR. Americans are now missing their flights because of the Democrats [sic] shutdown of DHS. Their political stunt is forcing patriotic TSA officers to work without pay — leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages. Enough is enough: Democrats must fund DHS NOW.”
TSA seconded the post: “Enough is enough. The Democrat shutdown of DHS must end!”
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Photographer: Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Airports across the country have warned passengers to arrive at the airport several hours ahead of their scheduled flight.
For example, Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport posted an update on Monday morning telling passengers to plan to arrive three hours before their flight, adding that TSA security lines could take up to two hours to get through.
Likewise, Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport cautioned passengers to arrive “4-5 hours before their flight to allow extra time for TSA screening.”
The warning added that TSA wait time “may exceed 180 minutes.”
Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for the City of Houston’s Department of Aviation, estimated that area airports are expecting 2.2 million travelers during the busy spring break season. The increased numbers of travelers paired with the decreased staff numbers at TSA because of the government shutdown have caused dramatic delays.
“The best advice we can share with travelers is simple: plan ahead, arrive early and stay in communication with your airline,” reads a statement from Szczesniak.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a White House article Monday morning showcasing the frustrations of federal workers and travelers alike at various airports. The article also mentioned that over 100,000 DHS employees are working without pay.
Phoenix TSA worker Jovan Petkovich told Fox: “We’re fed up. We’ve had enough. This is the third shutdown in a matter of six months. … How many delays is it? How many flight attendants are being impacted?”
The White House’s Rapid Response 47 account added to Petkovich’s statement, saying, “Democrats need to fund [DHS] and stop playing politics with people’s livelihoods.”
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