New Orleans passengers see long security lines Sunday; Armstrong Airport blames government shutdown
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Passengers flying out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sunday (March 8) were advised to arrive at least three hours before flights because of security line delays.
The airport attributed the unusually long lines to the partial federal government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration. It said the airport was caught Sunday facing a “shortage of workers” from the TSA, whose agents are working without pay during the shutdown.
“I feel bad for them, but they need to get this fixed. This is not acceptable,” one traveler told Fox 8.
“Due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown, the TSA is experiencing a shortage of workers at the security checkpoint, which is causing longer-than-average lines,” the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers with travel scheduled today are advised to arrive at least 3 hours before their scheduled departure to allow plenty of time to undergo security screening.
“For the latest updates on flight status, travelers are encouraged to check directly with their airline. The airport has staff on hand to help keep the lines organized, and we will continue to coordinate with our federal partners with the TSA as they navigate this issue.”
The airport did not immediately respond to questions from Fox 8 about the expected duration of the delays.
One traveler heading home to Dallas said her group arrived two and a half hours before their flight.
“I think we should have gotten here perhaps 5 hours,” she said. “We just made it back into the building and this is crazy.”
Pictures shared on social media by New Orleans passengers showed lines for TSA checkpoints backed up Sunday morning into an airport parking garage.
The DHS has been unfunded for nearly three weeks after lawmakers failed to negotiate a budget deal to operate the agency and agree on policies for immigration officers’ conduct.
In past shutdowns, TSA officers began staying home or resigning in greater numbers when they started missing paychecks. Pressure on the aviation system will increase as spring travel volume picks up in March and April.
Passengers were advised to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled flights Sunday (March 8) due to exceptionally long security lines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The facility said there was a shortage of TSA agents working without pay during the current partial federal government shutdown.(WVUE-Fox 8)
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