TSA Staff Work Unpaid as Passengers Endure Shutdown-Induced Delays
TSA staff are working unpaid, and many passengers endure shutdown-induced delays during the busy spring break period. The absences came as Transportation Security Administration officers missed pay amid a continuing funding impasse in Congress.
Scope of the staffing shortfalls
Airport managers reported similar problems nationwide. In Houston, more than half of TSA employees called out at William P. Hobby International Airport on Friday. Officials say the disruption affects travelers and airlines alike.
The Department of Homeland Security employs roughly 61,000 people caught in the funding stalemate. DHS also reported that at least 366 transportation security officers have quit since the most recent lapse began.
Travelers and frontline workers
Aaron Barker, president of the Atlanta chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees, said travelers remained courteous. He added that many people do not realize a government shutdown is underway.
Barker told Filmogaz.com that officers are facing eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts. He said some cannot afford medical copayments for cancer treatments or pediatric visits.
Community and airport responses
Several airports asked the public for help. Denver International, Seattle-Tacoma, and Harry Reid International in Las Vegas requested donations of grocery and gas gift cards, non-perishable food, hygiene items, and infant supplies.
The city of Atlanta provided two meal vouchers per shift and free parking for TSA officers, according to a statement from Mayor Andre Dickens. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport arranged for a burger truck to deliver meals on Tuesday.
At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the Anne Arundel County Food Bank distributed food boxes for the facility’s roughly 600 TSA employees.
Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the AFGE council representing TSA officers, called these measures temporary fixes. He compared them to a Band-Aid on a much larger problem.
Pay, hiring and training details
The agency’s hiring listings show starting salaries at about $40,000 in some locations. Chicago postings begin near $45,000. Remote duty stations, such as Nome, Alaska, can list starting pay around $75,000.
DHS raised some salaries in 2024 to improve retention, the department said. Typical qualifications include being at least 18, U.S. citizenship or national status, a high school diploma or equivalent, and passing a drug screen.
Screening roles are not law enforcement positions. New hires undergo four to six months of training, including two to three weeks at a TSA Academy.
Political standoff and industry pleas
Negotiations to restore funding remain stalled. Two sources familiar with talks told Filmogaz.com that congressional Democrats returned a counteroffer to the White House on Monday. The response arrived nearly 20 days after the administration’s previous offer.
Insiders said the latest offer did little to close gaps. Negotiators remained largely fixed on their initial demands, according to one source.
CEOs from major carriers, including American, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue, urged lawmakers to restore Department of Homeland Security funding. They called for a bipartisan solution to ensure federal aviation workers are paid during shutdowns.
