NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — Long lines at airports across the country, including at New York City-area airports, continued on Friday with TSA workers still going without pay amid the partial government shutdown.
Flying these days, and getting through airport security is a win or lose gamble depending on the city.
As the current government shutdown marks one month, only 90% of TSA employees showed up for work Thursday. The call-out rate varies from airport to airport, day to day.
“I got there three hours early and I got to my gate 20 minutes before it was boarding,” said Sarah Shelton, who is traveling from Atlanta. “It was bad, and there were people behind me who were missing flights, it was really bad.”
In the Tri-State area, 28% of TSA officers called out Thursday at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and 16% at LaGuardia.
“I think it’s ridiculous. People should be getting paid for doing their jobs,” said air traveler Sage Rizzo. “Not everyone has a savings account or emergency fund where they could live. They should be getting paid.
Travelers are navigating the moving goalpost by constantly checking wait times online, but be sure to use the airport website for accurate updates, not the TSA app, which has suspended updates because of the lapse in federal funding.
“The app was not correct. The app said 45 minutes, but actually 45 minutes for the first part,” said air traveler Sarah Shelton. “It was an additional hour for the second part. It was like the line was wrapped around the carousels. It was horrible.”
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