The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →During the partial federal shutdown in March 2026, Delta warned passengers to expect longer security lines, while Department of Homeland Security figures reported by news outlets showed unusually high TSA absences at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The figures were snapshots from particular days—not current staffing rates—and the available reporting does not establish that Atlanta had the highest absence rate of every U.S. airport throughout the shutdown.
What happened at Atlanta airport
On Sunday, March 22, 2026, about 41% of TSA agents at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport did not report to work, according to DHS figures reported by Axios Atlanta on March 23. That is a one-day figure, not a rate that should be applied to other dates or to current travel.
The Associated Press reported separate DHS figures for other days during the same shutdown: 38% of Atlanta TSA officers missed work on Wednesday and 32% on Thursday. DHS put the nationwide absence rate at about 10% on that Thursday. These are distinct date-specific observations, not a single average or directly comparable airport ranking.
Did Atlanta have the highest TSA absence rate?
The cited figures show serious staffing disruption at Atlanta, a major Delta hub, but they do not establish that it had the highest rate among all airports for the entire shutdown. A defensible ranking would require comparable airport-level data collected for the same dates and using the same definition of absence. The reported Atlanta figures are snapshots, and the Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday rates should not be treated as one consistent series.
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What Delta told travelers
On March 19, Delta warned that TSA wait times could be longer than usual and expedited security lines might not be available. The airline also urged an end to the partial shutdown. That was a contemporaneous warning about conditions during the episode, not guidance about today’s airport lines.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian later described waits at some airports—particularly Atlanta and New York—as “unacceptably long” during peak travel, in a message to SkyMiles members on April 1. Wait times are a measure of passenger delay; they are not the same thing as an employee absence rate.
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How the disruption affected Delta operations
Delta said the shutdown’s resource impact led it to pause specialty airport services for members of Congress, including escorts and Red Coat support. The Capitol Desk reservations line remained open, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting’s March 24 report, updated March 25.
The company reported on March 31 that security wait times had eased markedly across its network, including Atlanta, LaGuardia, and JFK, as checkpoints normalized. On March 26, Delta welcomed an executive order restoring TSA pay and thanked airport security staff for continuing to work during the partial shutdown. Those company updates describe the resolution of this particular episode; they do not guarantee wait times for a future trip.
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What this means if you are flying Delta
These March 2026 attendance figures cannot predict the line you will encounter on a later travel date. For a specific trip, check your flight status and Delta’s current travel advisories close to departure, then follow current airport and TSA instructions. If you are connecting, allow for the possibility that security delays can affect your itinerary and contact Delta promptly if a delay puts your connection at risk. Do not use a dated absence percentage as a substitute for live travel information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep the 2025 shutdown cost separate
Delta CEO Ed Bastian estimated that the separate 43-day government shutdown in 2025 cost the airline $200 million. The Associated Press reported that refunds increased and bookings slowed during that event, which contributed to a loss of about 25 cents per share. That estimate concerns the 2025 shutdown; it is not a cost figure for the 2026 episode.
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