Fliers were greeted with another day of long lines as TSA officers continue to work without receiving their pay. Skyler Henry speaks to travelers in Atlanta.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is warning that today’s long airport security lines are, quote, “child’s play” compared to what we’ll see if lawmakers can’t agree on a way to fund the Department of Homeland Security. National correspondent Skyler Henry spoke with frustrated travelers at America’s busiest airport in Atlanta. Skyler, good evening.
Hey, Tony, good evening to you. 34 days into this partial shutdown, TSA officers are frustrated, as checkpoints across the country are closed tonight at certain airports, including one here in Atlanta. Others are buckling with the surge of travelers. It’s hurry up and wait at the nation’s airports, as fliers were greeted with another day of long lines, and TSA officers continue to work without receiving their pay.
“Yeah, the airport doesn’t run without them.”
Staffing shortages shut down several checkpoints at airports in Houston and Philadelphia, leading to lines that snaked around the concourse.
“I don’t know what the holdup is, but these people need to get paid.”
While in Atlanta, hour-long lines had fliers. Frustrated Congress isn’t taking action.
“Kind of seems like maybe we should stop the political games and kickball and just fund an essential service like this.”
TSA says more than 10% of officers across the country called out Wednesday and warned it will get worse.
“We’re not Republicans. We’re not Democrats. We’re not independents. We’re just people that come to work every day to do our job.”
My colleague Caitlin Huey-Burns pressed lawmakers on Capitol Hill about the political impasse.
“What’s it going to take to get people paid?”
“I think it’s really despicable that there are people that are unwilling to try to figure out what that pathway is forward when they themselves are getting a paycheck.”
We ran into Georgia Republican Congressman Mike Collins on his way home from DC.
“It’s time to fund this agency, especially when we’ve got an armed conflict going on in the Middle East.”
But the message from regular people?
“Get it together. We all fly privately. This is what we’re having to deal with.”
And for the most part, flyers that we have spoken with throughout the day today say that they have taken heed of the warning, arriving hours before their scheduled flights. Still, however, with no deal in DC in sight, they say that the best that they can do, Tony, is have a plan and hope for the best.
“That’s it.”