TSA Shutdown: 8-Hour Lines, 11% Absenteeism

0:00On March 25, TSA officers at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport called out at a 36% rate on Wednesday, the highest in the nation, as the government shut down hit its 40th day. Reduced staffing led to security lines stretching up to 8 hours long, snarling travel for thousands of passengers. Workers have gone without full paychecks for over a month, with many facing another missed payday this week. Nationally, nearly 11% of scheduled TSA staff skip shifts on Monday, totaling more than 3,200 people, and at least 458 have quit since the shutdown started. Travelers are feeling the crunch hard, with massive backups at major hubs like those in New York and New Jersey. One passenger from Boston described lines snaking from the basement to the third floor, forcing her to sleep at the airport after missing her flight. Meanwhile, political talks drag on, with Democrats pushing for immigration and customs enforcement reforms in any funding deal, while Republicans.

1:03Proposed separating that funding to reopen the rest of the Department of Homeland Security. As conditions stay unpredictable and absences mount, airports urge extra time for security and negotiations continue without a clear end in sight.