Spring Break Travelers Face Massive Airport Delays

0:00It's March 24th. Welcome to Anchorage News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey, with the story. Spring braid travelers are facing massive delays at major U.S. airports thanks to a partial government shutdown leaving transportation security. Administration workers unpaid and many calling out sick. Nationwide, about 12% of TSA officers miss shifts on Sunday, leading to hours long security lines that stretch outside or across multiple. Levels at busy spots. President Trump sent immigration and customs enforcement agents to 14 airports with the highest absence rates, including hard spiel Jackson Inn. Atlanta, Chicago, O'Hare, New York's Kennedy and LaGuardia, Houston's Bush and Hobby, and others like New Orleans and Philadelphia. These agents arrive Monday to help manage crowds and direct passenger flow, but they're not trained for actual screening or ID checks. Travelers have misflights, rebooked tickets, or even slept at terminals, with some ways hitting five hours in Houston. Union's point out the irony of paid ice workers

1:02assisting unpaid TSA staff on basic tasks like line control that volunteers could handle, while former TSA leaders worry about security gaps in the chaos. IC's role stays limited to support, with no plans for immigration enforcement at checkpoints, though agents could question people anywhere in the airport if they suspect issues. Lines east slightly Tuesday at some spots like Atlanta, but remain brutal elsewhere despite over 2.6 million passengers screened Monday. Experts urge flyers to check, wait times early, use pre-check or clear if available, arrive four hours ahead, and consider flexible rebooking options. From airlines like Delta and United, as senators push for a funding deal to ease the crunch soon.