We’ve all experienced that excruciating wait in a TSA line: tapping feet, wailing babies, and navigating mazes of stanchions. But if you’ve been to the airport the past couple of days, waiting in security lines is probably even worse than usual.
Take Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport, which have seen TSA wait times exceed an agonizing three hours—and even up to four and a half hours in some cases. Travelers have missed flights, and TSA agents, who make an average of $26 an hour, are working without pay since the government shut down more than a month ago.
@therealdgomes27
Thoughts and prayers for those without TSA precheck #governmentshutdown#tsa#IAH#Houston#travelnightmare
The debacle began because fewer TSA agents are working amid the government shutdown. This meant several security checkpoints were closed off, requiring all travelers to funnel through only two terminals; typically nine security checkpoints are open. Even TSA PreCheck areas—meant to expedite security for approved travelers—were packed. At some points, lines to get through security stretched out the door of Bush Airport, local Houston station KHOU 11 reported.
