Overview
- Security waits stretched to roughly three to three-and-a-half hours at Houston’s Hobby Airport, with extended lines also reported at George Bush Intercontinental, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Charlotte.
- Airports urged travelers to arrive well early, with guidance ranging from three to five hours before departure as some checkpoints operated at limited capacity.
- TSA staffing shortfalls stem from the partial DHS shutdown that began in mid-February, leaving about 50,000 officers working without pay and facing their first full missed paycheck this week.
- Trusted-traveler access varied by location, with some PreCheck lanes closed at times and Global Entry remaining suspended.
- Airlines projected a record 171 million spring travelers and industry leaders warned disruptions could worsen without a funding deal as Congress remains at an impasse over immigration enforcement.