Travelers at airports nationwide are experiencing significant delays, with wait times exceeding 2.5 hours at various locations, including LaGuardia Airport in New York City and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The congestion has been attributed to TSA staffing issues, leading to empty paychecks for workers, which has exacerbated the situation.
In response to the long lines, some domestic passengers are attempting to navigate through international TSA checkpoints, while others are utilizing the touchless ID program associated with TSA PreCheck to expedite their screening. The Atlanta airport has issued warnings about domestic travelers using the International Terminal, noting that this action has contributed to further delays.
Joseph Cerletti, a TSA worker and union representative from Oakland, California, expressed concern over the current conditions, emphasizing the need for immediate prioritization of TSA funding to address what he termed a national security issue. Many travelers are opting into the touchless ID program, which uses facial recognition technology to enhance efficiency in identity verification during the security screening process.