Airport travel chaos continues as DHS shutdown impacts staffing during spring break surge
Long lines at airports across the country, including those in the New York area, continued Friday as Transportation Security Administration employees remained without pay due to the partial government shutdown.
Flying these days and going through airport security is a win or lose bet depending on the city.
With the current month-long government shutdown, only 90% of TSA employees showed up for work on Thursday. The price of interventions varies from one airport to another, from day to day.
“I arrived three hours early and got to my gate 20 minutes before boarding,” said Sarah Shelton, flying from Atlanta. “It was bad, and there were people behind me missing flights, it was really bad.”
In the tri-state area, 28% of TSA agents called to John F. Kennedy International Airport on Thursday and 16% to LaGuardia.
“I think it’s ridiculous. People should be paid to do their jobs,” said air traveler Sage Rizzo. “Not everyone has a savings account or emergency fund to live on. They should be paid.
Travelers navigate a moving goal by constantly checking wait times online, but be sure to use the airport’s website for accurate updates, not the TSA app, which has suspended updates due to a hiatus in federal funding.
“The app wasn’t correct. The app said 45 minutes, but it was actually 45 minutes for the first part,” said air traveler Sarah Shelton. “It was an extra hour for the second part. It was like the queue was wrapping around the carousels. It was horrible.”
———-
* Get news from eyewitnesses
* More New Jersey news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Download our connected TV app
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a news tip or story idea we should cover? Submit it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If you attach a video or photo, the terms of use apply.
