US EditionAirports see hourslong delays due to TSA shortages as Homeland Security shutdown shows no sign of ending
The partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown has reduced TSA staffing, causing some travelers to wait up to five hours at Houston and New Orleans airports during spring break.
- On March 9, 2026, DHS and airports reported hours-long TSA lines at Houston Hobby and Louis Armstrong in New Orleans over the weekend, causing missed flights.
- TSA staffing shortages stem from the partial Department of Homeland Security funding lapse on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14, leaving about 50,000 TSA screeners working without pay and facing their first full missed paycheck.
- High spring‑break volumes meant Houston airports expect more than 2.2 million passengers, with social media and news outlets sharing photos of security lines snaking into parking garages.
- Despite a House vote, congressional gridlock means the U.S. Senate needs 60 votes to pass DHS funding, while Chris Sununu, CEO of Airlines for America, urged Congress and the administration to act.
- Given prior staffing losses, about 1,110 transportation security officers left after the 43‑day shutdown that ended on Nov. 12, 2025, and DHS leadership turmoil included the firing of Kristi Noem.
177 Articles
177 Articles
Major U.S. Airports Experiencing Hours-Long Delays Due to TSA Staffing Shortages amid Partial Government Shutdown
William P. Hobby Airport in Houston said passengers should arrive between four to five hours before their flightNEED TO KNOWMajor airports in the United States are experiencing long delays due to staffing shortages amid the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland SecurityWilliam P. Hobby Airport in Houston said passengers should arrive between four to five hours before their flight to “allow extra time for TSA screening” The pa…
Airport Security Lines Are Stretching Past 3 Hours During Spring Break Travel Rush—What Travelers Should Know
Experts warn the partial government shutdown is creating a “perfect storm” for flyers.Travelers wait in line at a TSA checkpoint at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, US, on Monday, March 9, 2026.Credit: Mark Felix/Getty ImagesSecurity checkpoint wait times have stretched to more than three hours at some airports as the partial government shutdown drags on and the spring break travel season gets underway.On Sunday, travelers experienced…
Several major U.S. airports, such as New Orleans or Houston, record long lines and several-hour delays in passenger controls as a result of the partial closure of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Spring break blues: DHS highlights outrageous airport conditions amid Democrat shutdown
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 sim…
Several of the major U.S. airports, such as New Orleans or Houston, record long lines and several-hour delays in passenger controls as a result of the partial closure of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which already exceeds the 20-day freeze without agreement in Congress.
Homeland Security Issues Disney Travel Warning During Democratic Shutdown
Getting to Walt Disney World requires a level of logistical planning that most vacations simply do not demand. Park reservations, dining bookings, resort check-ins, Lightning Lane selections, transportation arrangements from the airport to the resort — the planning starts months out and the schedule is often tight from the moment the plane lands. For most Disney-bound guests, the flight is the prologue to everything else, the necessary first cha…
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