US EditionHouston Airport Has Become a Symbol for the Shutdown's Impacts on Air Travel
TSA absenteeism at Houston’s airports averages 35–43%, reducing checkpoint lanes to 33–50% capacity and causing wait times up to four hours, officials said.
- On Tuesday, nearly 40% of Transportation Security Administration workers called out at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, while Hobby reached 43%, among the nation's highest callout rates.
- Johnny Jones, secretary and treasurer for Council 100 of the American Federation of Government Employees, attributed absenteeism to financial strain from last year's shutdown and rising costs for groceries and gas.
- Hosting 2.6 million Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo attendees and over 10,000 CERAWeek participants, Houston has seen high passenger volume compound staffing shortages this month.
- Wait times at Bush Intercontinental improved on Wednesday, dropping to under two hours, though Mayor John Whitmire noted delays remain frustrating despite strong tourism bookings.
- Houston Airport System director of aviation Jim Szczesniak warned that conditions could deteriorate further at airports nationwide until Congress acts to end the ongoing federal government shutdown.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Houston airport, with nearly 40% TSA sickout, becomes symbol of America's broken travel system
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston has become the symbol for how the ongoing partial government shutdown has wreaked havoc on the nation’s air travel system. While long security lines have hobbled airports across the U.S., Bush Intercontinental’s problems have been more pronounced. Frustrated travelers at Houston’s largest airport have confronted warnings of four-hour wait times to get through security, as many Transportation Securi…
Associated Press News
Houston airport has become a symbol for the shutdown's impacts on air travel
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport shows how the partial government shutdown is straining air travel as TSA workers miss shifts without pay.
Houston Airport Lines Top Four Hours as Shutdown Strains Security Staffing
Travelers across the United States are encountering unusually long airport lines, with some of the most severe delays reported in Houston, where security wait times have surpassed four hours during a partial government shutdown. Ongoing staffing shortages at the Transportation Security Administration are driving the disruptions, as hundreds of agents have missed paychecks and are
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