Houston Airport TSA โWait Times Top โ3 โขHours As Unpaid Screeners Told To Get Loans During โShutdown
HOUSTON โ – โคTravelers at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental airport (IAH) and William P. hobby Airport (HOU) are facing TSA wait times exceeding three hoursโ as โฃtehโข government shutdown enters its โsecond week,โค leaving thousands of transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners working without pay. The mountingโ delays are a direct result of increased call-outs and reduced staffing levels as โscreeners grapple wiht financial hardship.
The โshutdown,triggered by a disagreement between Congress and the White House over โฃborderโข wallโ funding,is impacting approximately 51,000 TSA employees nationwide. While โคdeemed essential โคpersonnel and โrequired โto work, these employees missed their first paycheck on Friday,โ January 5th, and face uncertainty about future payments. โขReports โขindicate TSA officials have advised screeners to โคapply for loans to โcover expensesโค during theโ lapse in funding.
Airports across the countryโ areโข beginning to feel the strain, but Houston is experiencing particularly acuteโฃ delays. According to passenger reports and social media posts, โฃwait times at IAH have surpassed three hours duringโ peak travel โคperiods, with โฃHobby Airport also reporting significant backups. The situation is expected to worsen as the shutdown continues and โคmore screeners struggle toโ afford commuting costs andโค basic necessities.
“Nobody โknows how long the government โขshutdown will go on,” โreportsโข Forbes, noting that betting markets predict theโ shutdown will last atโฃ least 46 days (untilโ November 15th) according to Kalshi, โขand potentially 62 days (until December 1st) as predicted byโ Polymarket.โค
The Department of Homeland Security recently produced a video blamingโข Democrats for โฃthe shutdown, but โคseveral airports, including thoseโฃ in Houston, have refused to air the โmessage, citing concerns over its political nature and potential Hatch Act violations.
Travelers are advised to arrive at Houston โฃairports substantially earlier thanโ usual and to โฃcheck with their airlines for potential delays. The ongoing shutdown also raises concerns about potential impacts to air travel safety as overworked and financially stressedโค screeners face increasedโ pressure. Forbes previouslyโ reported that TSA screeners are facing longerโ airport lines as an inevitable result ofโ the missed paycheck.