PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — With another spring break weekend approaching, travelers at Philadelphia International Airport are expecting delays as the nationwide Transportation Security Administration staffing crisis continues.
Although PHL has avoided the worst of the disruptions seen at other airports during the federal shutdown, many passengers said they arrived hours early rather than risk long waits. Jackson Case of Louisville, Kentucky, said he prepared for the worst after seeing reports online. “I saw a video on TikTok on Sunday that had like 4 hour waits so I was really hoping that wasn’t the case and we showed up and it was actually pretty quick,” he said.
Others were surprised by the crowds despite checking wait times in advance. “I was expecting to see a lot more chaos,” said Amina Abdou of Cherry Hill. “We checked online for TSA times and it didn’t seem that bad and then we literally just got up and were like, oh the line is a lot longer than I thought.” But she added that the TSA PreCheck line she was in was moving very quickly.
Nationwide on Thursday, TSA reported its highest employee callout rate since the shutdown began. At PHL, nearly 30% of scheduled workers did not report for duty. LaShanda Palmer, president of AFGE Local 333, said morale is low.
It’s very disheartening that we are put in this position,” Palmer said. “We had somebody had to turn their tags in because she wasn’t able to pay her insurance. And in order for her to get them back it’s gonna be $360.”
Overnight, the Senate approved a bill to fund portions of the Department of Homeland Security, including the TSA, but the measure excluded funding for ICE as Democrats pushed for changes to immigration enforcement policies. The House rejected the bill Friday afternoon. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters, “The reason that we can’t accept this ridiculousness, okay, is because we’re not going to risk not funding the agencies that keep the American people safe.”
Shortly afterward, news broke that President Trump had signed a memorandum directing DHS to pay TSA workers beginning Monday.
Palmer said that even with back pay on the way, many employees are still facing financial hardship. “What about the ones who couldn’t pay their rent? What about the ones that we didn’t pay mortgage?” she said.
Johnson said the House will now pursue a short-term bill to fund the entire Department of Homeland Security through May 22. If approved, the measure would move to the Senate, where Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said it is “dead on arrival.” Senators are not scheduled to return until mid-April.
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