The government shutdown is affecting the airports across the United States. TSA has warned that the longer the shutdown goes on, the greater the airports will have to grapple with staff shortages. The Transportation Security Administration employees are considered essential workers, so they must show up to work, even if they don’t get paid. However, this might become a hindrance for them if the government shutdown continues.
According to CNN, the employees get their due pay once the shutdown ends. However, the wait might turn out to be too difficult for them, as even though they are not getting paid, bills are still coming in, stated the TSA. As a result, the airports could experience greater staff shortages than they already have.
The Democrat Shutdown is causing flight disruptions and travel delays for countless Americans.
TSA agents are now going on MSNBC to plead with the Democrats to reopen the government.pic.twitter.com/LY1QjtZQWy
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 21, 2025
The partial government shutdown that began on October 1 has led to longer lines for security screening at Atlanta airport last week due to staff shortage. Not just in Atlanta, various parts of the country have been dealing with airport-related issues since the shutdown began.
On Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that air traffic control staffing issues have led to travel delays at airports in Chicago, Dallas, and Newark as well. The agency also declared that similar staffing issues could lead to delayed flights in Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Since the government shutdown began, airports have been affected the most. Unions and airlines have requested both the Trump administration and Democrats to end the standoff promptly. The current situation has raised significant concerns, given a similar past occurrence in 2019.
🚨JUST IN: TSA lines grind to a halt at LaGuardia as government shutdown delays screenings
Overlaid with the blunt caption “TSA halted at LaGuardia Airport,” the 16-second recording shows serpentine security lines stretching hundreds of feet. As a result, passengers were venting… pic.twitter.com/g94G0WyMq4
— SANTINO (@MichaelSCollura) October 4, 2025
During the 35-day shutdown that year, many TSA employees stopped showing up for work as they missed their paychecks. At that time, the situation led to slow air traffic control, which ultimately helped end the standoff.
According to Reuters, even before the recent shutdown began, the FAA had been about 3,500 air traffic controllers short. Many workers were even pushed to work mandatory overtime and six days a week. The outlet also reports that about 13,000 air traffic controllers and some 50,000 TSA officers will have to work during this government shutdown, even though they are not getting paid.
