ATLANTA — Approximately 30% to 40% of Transportation Security Administration agents at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have called out in the last several days.
The shortage has forced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist with crowd control at the facility.
Atlanta airport officials said the call-outs occurred because agents have not received paychecks for three weeks during a partial government shutdown. The lack of staff resulted in massive security lines once again on Monday that stretched past checkpoints and through the baggage claim area.
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Malik Bel-Jean was flying back home to Massachusetts from the Atlanta airport on Monday.
Because of the lines, Bel-Jean told Channel 2’s Cory James that he considered taking a Greyhound bus as a backup option to avoid the delays.
The parent company of Greyhound and FlixBus reported a surge in travelers seeking alternative transportation. In a statement to Channel 2 Action News, the company noted that it provides service from multiple stops in the city, including the airport and downtown.
“We’ve seen increased demand across the FlixBus and Greyhound network in recent weeks as travelers look for affordable, reliable ways to travel during the peak spring season,” the company said.
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The statement added that the network offers direct connections to cities throughout the Southeast and beyond.
Other travelers considered using rail service to reach their destinations. One passenger traveling to Maryland looked into an 11:30 train that would arrive in Baltimore the following afternoon.
The congestion at the security checkpoints appeared to diminish by Monday night.
Andrea Myers, a passenger from Macon, reported that the terminal was mostly empty when she arrived.
“It must be better to fly in the evening, but I would avoid the airport if it was early in the morning,” Myers said.
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