Airport wait times now at record-highs, TSA says: ‘A dire situation’

(NEXSTAR) – TSA officials said Wednesday that airport wait times are now at all-time highs, and the agency may be forced to temporarily close some airports due to the partial government shutdown.

Ha Nguyen McNeill, the agency’s acting administrator, said during a Homeland Security committee hearing that multiple airports in the U.S. face agent callout rates higher than 40%.

“We are being forced to consolidate lanes and may have to close smaller airports if we do not have enough officers,” she said. “It is a fluid, challenging and unpredictable situation.”

As of Wednesday, here’s how TSA staffing stood at several of the nation’s largest airports, one day after 3,160 agents called out nationwide:

Nearly 37% of TSA workers called out Tuesday at both Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport

43% at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport

Almost 40% at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport

About 36% at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans

Over 480 TSA agents have quit entirely nationwide.

Here’s what some airlines are offering passengers who miss flights

— United Airlines is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers flying out of Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport between Monday and Wednesday. Travelers can reschedule onto a new flight departing through Friday and also have the option to fly out of Austin, Dallas or San Antonio instead.

— Delta Air Lines is waiving change or rebooking fees for travelers affected by long TSA lines at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson from March 23–30. Passengers there can reschedule onto a flight departing through April 6.

— Allegiant Air said customers can change or cancel itineraries without penalty until the end of the partial government shutdown.

Travelers can also search their airline’s name plus “travel alerts” online for the latest updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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