By David Shepardson and P.J. Huffstutter
WASHINGTON/HOUSTON, March 9 (Reuters) – Rising absences by airport screeners caused a second straight day of longer-than-normal security lines, sparking worries from airlines as the busy spring break travel period ramps up.
Houston Hobby Airport on Monday again reported lines averaging 3 hours at 2 p.m. EDT at standard checkpoints. Longer than normal lines were reported over the last two days at a number of U.S. airports as officials urged passengers to get to the airport three to four hours before their flights board.
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed on February 13 after Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms demanded by Democrats. That halted operational funding for several government agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, resulting in about 50,000 TSA airport security screeners working without pay.
Airlines are worried. “Congress and the administration must act with urgency to reach a deal that reopens DHS and ends this shutdown,” said Chris Sununu, CEO of trade association Airlines for America. “America’s transportation security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage.”
Carriers are expecting a record-breaking spring travel period, with 171 million passengers expected to fly, up 4% over the same two-month period last year.
Spring-break travel will heat up just as TSA workers miss their first full paycheck on Friday, Sununu said.
Republicans took to social media to urge Democrats to approve funding and blamed them for the delays. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat, said Democrats offered to fund TSA but want reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “No conditions. Republicans refused. They want the hostage, to extract more ICE money,” Whitehouse said.
Passengers on Monday at Houston were again crammed into the Central Concourse and lining up outside to try to check bags.
Karlee Schmidt, 23, said she had tried to fly out with several friends for a trip to Florida on Sunday. But after waiting in the security line for about three hours, she said they had missed their flight.
They were able to depart on a flight Monday after following airport staff guidance, who suggested arriving four hours ahead of time. “At this point, I just want to get on a plane going somewhere,” Schmidt said.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter)
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