Airport Security Lines Prolonged by TSA Pay Dispute

0:00On March 10, travelers at major airports nationwide are dealing with hours-long security lines because of a partial government shutdown that's left. Transportation Security Administration Officers working without pay. The funding laps hit on February 14, affecting roughly 50,000 screeners right as spring break travel surges. Lines have snaked through terminals and even into parking garages at places like Houston's hobby airport in New Orleans with weights topping three. Hours in some spots. Reports of delays nearing an hour or more have popped up at Atlanta, Charlotte and other hubs too. Airport directors point to strong passenger demand combined with fewer open screening lanes as the main culprits. Officials now recommend showing up four hours early to make flights without stress. TSA workers are hurting financially, getting just partial pay on February 28 and facing their first full missed paycheck this week. Many live paycheck to paycheck on starting salaries in the low $40,000 range.

1:00So some are picking up side gigs like food delivery to get by. This echoes a shutdown less than six months ago when officers went 43 days without pay. Until lawmakers settle the standoff over Department of Homeland Security funding, brace for more bottlenecks at checkpoints.