Written by David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The head of the Transportation Security Administration warned on Thursday that extending the U.S. government's partial shutdown could lead to longer waits at airports.
The TSA, which handles airport security screening, said about 59,000 of its 62,000 employees are considered essential and will continue to work without pay in the event of the shutdown that begins Saturday unless the government reaches a funding deal.
Air traffic controllers and TSA officers are among the government employees who will be required to continue working but will not receive their salaries.
“While our staff is prepared to handle large volumes of travelers and ensure safe travel, please be aware that extended closures may mean longer wait times at airports,” TSA Administrator David Pekosky said on social media.
The agency expects to screen a record 40 million travelers over the holidays, after record numbers were recorded during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Without an agreement, the FAA estimates it will have to furlough more than 17,000 employees and halt training for air traffic controllers.
In 2019, during the 35-day shutdown, the number of absences of monitors and TSA officers increased due to workers losing pay, which extended wait times at checkpoints at some airports. The Federal Aviation Administration was forced to slow air traffic, putting pressure on lawmakers to end the crisis.
