March 15, 2026 — Major U.S. airlines, represented by Airlines for America (A4A), urged Congress and the administration to end a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown causing severe TSA staffing shortages and security lines stretching two to five hours at airports including Atlanta, Houston, Austin, Chicago O’Hare and New Orleans during peak spring break travel.
A4A President and CEO Chris Sununu attributed the crisis to TSA officers receiving $0 paychecks, leading to over 300 quits and doubled unscheduled absences reaching 6% nationwide.
Airlines’ Urgent Call
In a statement issued March 8, A4A described the disruptions as “unacceptable and un-American.”
“As TSA officers are facing a $0 paycheck this week, we are seeing firsthand the significant strains that the current DHS shutdown is causing across the aviation system. TSA lines are two and three hours long at some airports, causing flights to be delayed and passengers to miss flights… Congress and the administration must act with urgency to reach a deal that reopens DHS and ends this shutdown. America’s transportation security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage.”
Sununu highlighted risks during record spring break volumes, noting airlines have prepared but federal action is needed.
Staffing Shortages and Warnings
The TSA released a video at airports blaming the “ongoing Democrat shutdown of TSA and the Department of Homeland Security” for extended waits of 20 minutes to two hours. Officers continue working despite missed paychecks, the video stated.
Reports detailed lines up to 3.5 hours at Houston Hobby Airport, spilling into parking lots and baggage claim, with New Orleans advising three-hour early arrivals. Fox Business warned spring break flyers of impacts at multiple hubs.
Traveler Impacts and Advice
Travelers risk missing flights with no refunds, as the U.S. Department of Transportation states TSA lines are an airport responsibility, not airlines’. Airlines may offer rebookings or credits but not cash refunds for such delays, per USA Today. Officials recommend arriving three to four hours early; check airport websites for real-time waits, as the MyTSA app is outdated.
AirHelp’s Eric Napoli noted many miss flights due to unpreparedness for longer lines from unpaid staff.
On X, users highlighted three-plus-hour waits and quits, including NewsForce and Derrick Evans.