The ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, caused by the partial government shutdown, has significantly impacted operations at several major airports across the US.
On Sunday, security checkpoints at airports across the US witnessed long queues due to staffing shortages at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is part of DHS.
Houston, New Orleans most affected
Airports in Houston and New Orleans were among the worst affected on Sunday, with the William P. Hobby Airport seeing delays up to three hours.
A statement from Houston Airports, which counts Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of its system, said the shutdown “can impact security operations day-to-day and shift-to-shift.”
‘Longer-than-average lines’
Social media posts from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sunday said a shortage of TSA agents at the security checkpoint was leading to “longer-than-average” lines.
The airport urged travellers to arrive at least three hours before their flights and said wait times could last up to two hours. It warned similar delays could continue through the coming week.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Charlotte Douglas International and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston also reported longer than normal lines.
Disruptions ahead of peak travel season
The disruptions come as airlines are expecting to fly 171 million passengers between March 1 and April 30. According to Airlines for America, this is nearly 4 per cent more than the average of nearly 3 million passengers each day during the same period in 2025.
Agents with the US Transportation Security Administration are expected to work without pay during the ongoing shutdown of the department, which began February 14.
What DHS said
“This chaos is a direct result of Democrats and their refusal to fund DHS,” Lauren Bis, a DHS spokesperson, said in a statement to CNN. “These frontline heroes received only partial paychecks earlier this month and now face their first full missed paycheck, leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages.”