TSA asks for airline passengers' patience, warns longer wait times possible

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) asked travelers for patience and warned the public about possible longer wait times at airports in light of the federal government being shut down. 

“While TSA is prepared to continue screening about 2.5M passengers a day, an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports. We kindly ask for our passengers’ patience during this time,” a TSA spokesperson said Thursday in a statement to The Hill’s sister network, NewsNation. “Despite this challenge, we will remain vigilant and focused on performing our vital security mission on behalf of the American people.”

TSA said about 61,000 of the 64,000 workers are considered excepted or exempt and that the agency will “continue operations to keep the travelling public safe.”

The rest of the employees will be temporarily furloughed, according to the TSA spokesperson. 

Most of the TSA workers will not be paid until the end of the shutdown battle, although those deemed working in “essential” roles have to work and will get back pay once the government is funded. 

TSA blamed the “partisan politics” of Democrats in Congress for the latest shutdown, the first one in the last six years. 

“Beginning midnight October 1st, funding for much of the Federal Government will have expired due to the partisan politics of left-wing politicians,” the TSA spokesperson said. “While it is unfortunate some of our politicians have put politics before the well-being of our country, TSA is prepared for an orderly shutdown.”