Overview
- Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl said the agency has exhausted its surge staffing and cautioned that smaller airports may have to curtail operations if absences continue to rise.
- DHS reported a nationwide TSA callout rate of about 10% on Sunday, with a 55% single‑day spike at Houston Hobby; the highest callout averages include ATL, JFK, HOU, MSY, and PIT.
- Between 300 and 366 TSA officers have resigned since the Feb. 14 shutdown, and DHS says callouts are roughly double normal levels, with new‑hire training taking four to six months.
- Travelers have faced multi‑hour security lines and missed flights at some airports, though impacts are uneven, with Austin officials attributing early‑morning bottlenecks largely to SXSW and spring break surges.
- Airline chiefs urged Congress to ensure pay for aviation security workers, and union leaders warned of a breaking point as unpaid officers report evictions, repossessions, and other severe hardships.