WASHINGTON

Passengers at major US airports are experiencing record security wait times as staffing shortages at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) worsen during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, the agency’s acting chief told lawmakers Wednesday.

Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said absentee rates among Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) have surged sharply, with some airports reporting that 40% to 50% of screeners are calling out.

“Because they simply cannot afford to report to work,” McNeill said, noting that the call-out rate stood around 4% before the shutdown.

The staffing shortfall has forced airports to consolidate screening lanes, leading to delays exceeding four and a half hours in some cases — the longest wait times in TSA history, she added.

McNeill warned that smaller airports could face temporary closures if staffing levels do not improve, describing the situation as “fluid, challenging and unpredictable.”

The DHS shutdown has left thousands of federal workers, including TSA officers, without pay, exacerbating operational strain across the country’s aviation system.

Hundreds of TSA officers have already resigned and thousands more have called out during the funding standoff, further worsening delays at major airports.