Hourslong airport waits continue in peak periods, busy weekend ahead
Lines again stretched outside the terminal early Thursday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, before receding as the morning rush slowed.
More than 86,000 people are expected to pass through security checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson throughout the day Thursday, according to airport forecasts.
Amid a partial government shutdown, Transportation Security Administration officers are set to miss another paycheck Friday, which means even worse financial pressures as they have worked for more than five weeks without pay.
TSA officers desperate to find ways to pay their bills have been calling out of work to turn to other ways to earn money. That’s driving severe understaffing at airport security checkpoints.
Chaos at Atlanta airport
A partial government shutdown has left TSA workers unpaid for weeks, causing many to seek other work or childcare. Meanwhile security lines have ballooned with officials estimating wait times could reach four hours.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to Hartsfield-Jackson and some other airports across the country since Monday, helping with tasks such as checking IDs before security screening.
But severe choke points for airport security screening have continued during the busiest periods.
While lulls in traffic bring minimal waits, lines ramp back up during busy periods.
Pressure on lawmakers is growing to resolve their stalemate on funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and end the partial government shutdown. Congress is scheduled to leave town by the end of the week for spring break recess.
Metro Atlanta Chamber CEO Katie Kirkpatrick in a video posted on LinkedIn called on Congress to act.
“When the world’s busiest airport becomes unreliable, it sends a signal across the country. That signal affects how companies think about investing, expanding and doing business here,” Kirkpatrick said. “Atlanta’s global connectivity is one of our greatest strengths. We need Congress to take action quickly and decisively.”
Meanwhile, another busy weekend is ahead as the shutdown continues, with more than 82,000 travelers expected at airport security checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson on Friday.
From Friday through Monday, more than 320,000 people are expected to pass through TSA checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson, with the biggest crowds Sunday. Monday mornings are often especially hectic, even during normal times, as business travelers crowd the terminal.
Caleb Todd, 28, waited in a line that stretched outside the world’s busiest airport’s North Terminal around 6 a.m. Thursday.
Todd and his wife, Abbey, arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday night from their home in Auburn, Alabama. They stayed overnight with friends, then arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson at 5 a.m. for a flight later in the day to New York City. It will be their first trip to the Big Apple.
The Todds said the lines they found were longer than they expected, but the clear instructions they received about where to start their journey through security was better than anticipated. Asked who he held responsible for the partial government shutdown, Caleb Todd said “blame hasn’t really crossed my mind.”
”I think I’m more impressed with the volume of people that this airport has to service regularly," he said. “And I feel like I’m seeing it in a fresh way because of this.”
Last Sunday, heavy traffic drove long lines that filled the terminal all day long, with waits as much as nine hours long Sunday night into Monday.
Callout rates among TSA officers have increased nationwide, with multiple airports seeing more than 40% and 50% of employees out, acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said in congressional testimony Wednesday. The Atlanta callout rate has been close to 37% on some days.
Nearly 500 TSA officers have quit nationwide, according to officials.
“Officers are reportedly sleeping in their cars at airports to save gas money, selling their blood and plasma and taking on second and third jobs to make ends meet, all while expected to perform at the highest level when in uniform to protect the traveling public,” McNeill said in testimony. “Many have received eviction notices, lost their child care, missed bill payments and been charged late fees, damaged their credit, defaulted on loans and have been unable to even qualify for a loan to help ease the financial burden during the shutdown.”
About the Authors
Drew Kann is a reporter at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution covering climate change and environmental issues. His passion is for stories that capture how humans are responding to a changing environment. He is a proud graduate of the University of Georgia and Northwestern University, and prior to joining the AJC, he held various roles at CNN.
