Air travellers across the United States are facing hours-long delays at security checkpoints as the Transportation Security Administration struggles with staffing shortages.
The issue stems from a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the TSA, leading to absenteeism, resignations, and a slowdown in airport operations.
Despite attempts to pass temporary funding measures, the shutdown has resulted in hundreds of TSA workers quitting and call-out rates surging above normal levels, with some airports experiencing absentee rates as high as 30 percent.
Experts warn the situation is a bigger crisis, exposing vulnerabilities in the US aviation system, and travellers are advised to arrive at airports much earlier than usual as uncertainty continues.
