TSA woes continue as spring break travel ramps up at Chicago airports
Thousands of Transportation Security Administration workers missed their first full paycheck this weekend as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security continues. This comes as the spring break travel season is set to heat up.
Chicago's airports have, for the most part, avoided severe wait times due to staffing issues tied to the lapse in funding for DHS that started in mid-February. However, union leaders warn that O'Hare and Midway airports may not be able to prevent that much longer.
Lines were busy but running smoothly on Saturday at O'Hare for departures. For those arriving from Fort Lauderdale, however a different flying experience.
"It was a long travel day," said Norridge resident Christine Blevins.
Blevins of Norridge flew to Fort Lauderdale for a cruise. She described what she experienced during her return trip.
"The TSA lines were just out of this world. I've never seen anything like it," she said. "We had to go out of the building, wrap all the way around, and then come back in. It took about 20 minutes just to get into the building, and then another 20 to get to the actual entrance, and then about an hour to go from there."
She's relieved to be back home, but knows others weren't so lucky.
"People were missing their flight because TSA was so long," she said.
What Blevins experienced is happening at airports across the country.
DHS has been without funding since mid-February after Congress failed to reach an agreement to pass a spending plan. As a result, thousands of TSA agents missed their first full paycheck on Friday.
"If this continues, as any other individual may know, if you don't have the resources to come to work, you're not going to be able to be to work," said Darrell English, president of AFGE Local 777
His union represents TSA workers in Illinois and Wisconsin. He said it's likely more agents may call in sick to find paying work in order to support themselves and their families. He adds that the impact may grow soon as spring break travel increases.
"I do believe that we will see an impact on the Chicagoland area starting next week. Speaking to our members, they are totally out of resources," English said.
He said there's one solution to bring those long lines back down to normal levels.
"This will not get any better than unless the congresspeople get together to open up and fund TSA," English said.
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers have not made it clear when a funding deal will be reached to end this partial shutdown.