Many travelers across the US are continuing to face significant delays at airport security checkpoints as the homeland security department shutdown, which has affected staffing of the Transportation Security Administration, remains ongoing.
With TSA workers going for weeks without pay, staffing shortages have intensified, leading to longer screening times and growing frustration among passengers.
On Friday morning, major airports in Houston, Texas, and Queens, New York, reported wait times stretching up to two hours at peak travel periods. John F Kennedy international airport in New York - one of the busiest international travel hubs in the country - reported security wait times reaching as high as 42 minutes at Terminal 4 on Friday.
"Due to shutdowns of federal agencies, TSA wait times may be longer than usual. We've deployed additional customer care staff into terminals to help manage queues, assist passengers, and keep people moving as efficiently as possible. Wait times can change quickly, so please allow extra time when traveling," the airport said.
The delays come as airports around the US prepare for a busy spring travel season. Industry group Airlines for America estimates that roughly 121 million passengers will take to the skies in the coming weeks, marking a 4% increase compared with the same period last year.
Videos posted online in recent days showed travelers stuck in long lines across airports. George Bush intercontinental airport in Houston warned passengers on Thursday: "Long lines continue. If you're coming to the airport, give yourself time. Wait times fluctuate throughout the day."
Since mid-February, the homeland security department has been shut down after its funding lapsed, a result of a Senate deadlock over stricter regulations on federal immigration enforcement, particularly in response to the Trump administration's nationwide ICE crackdowns.
Acting deputy TSA administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News on Tuesday: "As the weeks continue ... it's not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones, if call-out rates go up. We have a national deployment office force, and we've fully depleted that. So at this point, we're fully stretched and so frankly, there's not much else we can do."
Meanwhile, transportation secretary Sean Duffy warned on Thursday that travel chaos will only ensue if the shutdown continues, saying: "[TSA workers are] about to miss another payment. This is gonna look like child's play, what's happening right now."
As of Friday morning, there were 2,551 flight delays and 105 cancellations within, into, or out of the United States, according to FlightAware.com.