TSA chaos gets worse: Atlanta says get to the airport 4 hours early

If you’re flying in the US, get ready to stand in line.

Airports across the US are continuing to see lengthy waits at security checkpoints as scores of TSA workers call out due to missed paychecks.

A partial government shutdown has left the Department of Homeland Security and its Transportation Security Administration unfunded and their agents unpaid at the height of the spring break travel season.

As many as 10% of all TSA agents called out on several days last week, DHS updates showed, with absence rates averaging as much as 20% in some airports. A DHS spokesperson told Business Insider that some airports, such as William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, had seen absence rates as high at 40.8%.

Security lines in affected airports are spiking unpredictably from day to day, and sometimes even from hour to hour.

“The current unpredictability is being driven by unpredictable staffing levels, basically, how many TSA officers are showing up for work on any given day,” Sheldon H. Jacobson, the founder professor of engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an expert on aviation security and airport security screening, told Business Insider.

“TSA officers have historically been cross-trained to do many different tasks, so the number that show up is the key factor,” Jacobson said.

How long are the TSA delays?

Delays at TSA checkpoints across the US have been unpredictable, and some airports are changing how they’re communicating with travelers.

As of Monday evening, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest by passenger numbers, displayed the following message on its website: “Due to current federal conditions, passengers are advised to allow at least 4 hours or more for domestic and international screenings.”

Atlanta has been among the worst-affected airports since the shutdown began, with over a third of TSA staff not showing up on some days.

The airport said there had been congestion at the international checkpoint as domestic travelers tried to bypass long lines in the domestic terminal. The airport said domestic travelers should use the domestic checkpoints.

At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, lines stretched over three hours on Sunday evening. As of Monday afternoon, wait times ranged from 150 to 200 minutes, and the airport warned on its website that waits could exceed 4 hours. By Monday evening, wait times were under 15 minutes.

As of Monday evening, JFK, the New York area’s biggest airport, said in a statement on its website that wait times could change rapidly depending on TSA staffing and passenger volume.

“For these reasons, wait time reporting has been temporarily suspended,” the airport said. “Please allow for significantly more time and check with your airline for the current status of your flight.”

As of Monday, Newark Liberty International Airport displays a similar message on its website that says security wait times may be “significantly longer than normal” and that wait time reporting has been suspended.

“Please allow for significantly more time and check with your airline for the current status of your flight,” the message says.

Separate from TSA issues, LaGuardia Airport was closed early Monday after a plane collided with a vehicle. It reopened at 2 p.m. ET, though travelers should expect delays and cancellations.

Denver, home of the fourth-busiest airport in the US, was experiencing wait times of up to 4 minutes on Monday evening.

Dallas-Fort Worth lines were up to 19 minutes.

At Los Angeles International Airport, the nation’s fifth-busiest travel hub, waits were listed as up to 3 minutes.

The maximum wait time at Philadelphia International Airport was listed as 30 minutes earlier on Monday, although it was down to 3 minutes by the evening.

Some airports have so far avoided the hourslong lines. Business Insider’s Taylor Rains flew out of Las Vegas last week and saw minimal TSA lines.

How to check TSA wait times

The unpredictable delays mean travelers should plan for long waits even if their airport hasn’t yet experienced problems.

The easiest way to avoid the stress of missing your flight is to give yourself extra time in the airport. Many airports are advising travelers this week to arrive up to three hours before their flight, even for domestic flights.

Many airports, including major hubs like Atlanta, Houston, JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Denver, have been posting TSA wait times live on their websites.

These can also provide more specific insights. For example, DFW’s website shows the wait times at each checkpoint.

You can also use the MyTSA mobile app. It provides estimated wait times in 15-minute intervals based on average checkpoint data. The app, however, will use historical data if the live data cannot be retrieved. The TSA also says it is not “actively” managing its sites during the partial shutdown, and so the app may not always be updated.

How long will the TSA delays persist?

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said airport delays could get worse.

“As we get into next week and they’re about to miss another payment, this is going to look like child’s play, what’s happening right now,” Duffy said on CNBC.

Some airports could be forced to close, both Duffy and Adam Stahl, the TSA’s acting deputy administrator, said.

Airports like Denver and Seattle have asked the public for food, gift cards, and basic supplies to support TSA staff working without pay.