TSA warns US airports may close amid security staff shortages
A partial government funding impasse is forcing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to confront potential closures at smaller American airports due to a critical shortage of Transportation Security Administration screeners who are unable or unwilling to work without pay, according to Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl on March 18 and other officials from Trump administration sources earlier that day; mass call-outs by TSA employees have already created hours-long security lines in Washington D.C., with some airports now facing wait times exceeding three hours.
Key Points
-
1A partial U.S. federal shutdown has caused widespread staffing shortages at the TSA, leading to mass call-outs and unpaid wages for security personnel.
-
2Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns that small regional airports face a high risk of closure due to these critical staff absences nationwide.
-
3Security wait times have escalated significantly across major hubs in some cases stretching over three hours as agencies struggle with operational capacity.
Developments
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that airport security absences are rising due to the ongoing partial government shutdown and lack of pay for TSA officers. While nationwide absence rates have dipped slightly, specific major airports like Atlanta and Houston continue experiencing significant staffing shortages leading to long lines during spring break travel as lawmakers attempt a funding deal by Friday evening.
TSA officials warn that airports across America may shut down entirely due to mass agent callouts caused by unpaid wages following a failed Senate bill for Department of Homeland Security funding. While larger hubs might be supported temporarily with volunteer screeners and essential workers, smaller facilities face the highest risk as staff cannot afford continued work without paychecks or government action is not taken soon enough.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that small and regional airports face potential closure due to ongoing staffing shortages at the Department of Homeland Security's Transportationsecurity Administration (TSA). Nearly half a million airport security officers have gone without pay since last month, with hundreds resigning or taking unscheduled leave as Congress failed to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms.