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In testimony submitted for a March 25, 2026 House hearing, the Transportation Security Administration said shutdown-related staffing shortages were worsening checkpoint callouts and pushing waits past four and a half hours at some airports. TSA urged Congress to provide full-year Department of Homeland Security funding. Airlines for America and airline CEOs also called for DHS funding, while the CEOs’ letter, as reported by the White House, said carriers were holding some flights for late passengers and rebooking others. These were reports about the March shutdown—not a measure of airport conditions today.
What TSA told Congress about airport lines
TSA’s written testimony for the House Homeland Security Committee’s March 25, 2026 hearing reported that daily checkpoint callouts nationwide had risen to 11% as of March 24, compared with 4% before the funding lapse. TSA said some airports had callout rates above 40% or 50%, and waits exceeded four and a half hours at certain airports. The agency also said spring-break travel volume was about 5% higher than the previous year while fewer officers were available to screen passengers. These are TSA’s reported figures and explanations, not independently audited measurements.
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TSA’s conclusion was direct: “On behalf of TSA, I respectfully urge Congress to provide full-year funding for DHS without delay.” Read TSA’s testimony.
Why staffing was a concern
TSA told lawmakers that officer losses were accumulating across shutdowns. It reported that about 1,110 transportation security officers left the agency during the 43-day October–November 2025 shutdown—25% more separations than in the same period in 2024. For the funding lapse that began in February 2026, TSA said around 460 officers had left by March 24.
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Replacing officers is not immediate. TSA described a hiring and onboarding process involving assessments, interviews, background checks and four to six months of training. The agency also raised concern about staffing readiness for the FIFA World Cup, scheduled to begin June 11, 2026. That was TSA’s expressed concern; the testimony does not establish that a particular airport or event was affected.
How airlines and their representatives reacted
Airlines for America called for a funding agreement
On March 9, Airlines for America (A4A) President and CEO Chris Sununu said more than 2.7 million people had cleared TSA the previous day, while some travelers faced two- or three-hour waits. He also said officers would receive no paycheck that week. A4A called on Congress to reach an agreement to reopen DHS. These figures and statements came from the airline trade group, which was advocating for action by lawmakers. Read A4A’s statement.
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Airline CEOs described holding flights and rebooking
A March 17 White House release reported that CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Air and other carriers had signed a letter urging Congress to fund DHS. The release quoted the letter as saying U.S. airlines expected 171 million passengers that spring and that waits of two, three and even four hours had been reported. It also quoted the CEOs as saying airlines were holding flights for late passengers and rebooking others.
That account does not establish a universal airline policy or guarantee that a flight would be held for an individual traveler. The White House release also used partisan framing; its political characterization should be distinguished from the letter details it reported. Read the White House account.
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What changed after the reopening bill
In an April 30 statement, Alaska Airlines said Congress had passed a bill reopening DHS after a 75-day shutdown. The company said the measure funded the department only through the end of September. Alaska argued for legislation requiring aviation workers, including TSA officers and air traffic controllers, to keep being paid during future shutdowns; that was the company’s position, not a description of a separate enacted requirement. Read Alaska Airlines’ statement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about current TSA conditions?
The sources cited here do not establish whether DHS received funding beyond the end of September 2026 or what TSA staffing and airport screening conditions were on October 4, 2026. The March callout rates and wait reports describe the shutdown period then; they should not be treated as current wait-time guidance. Travelers making plans now need current information from TSA, their airport and their airline.
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