CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Wait times dragged on for more than two hours Saturday morning at the Atlanta airport’s main domestic checkpoint as TSA agents continue to call out amid a partial government shutdown.
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Around 8 a.m., lines stretched into the atrium and baggage claim. The wait time for the main terminal was 125 minutes, with the north checkpoint seeing waits of more than 90 minutes. However, by late morning, the lines dwindled considerably, with wait times at the main checkpoint around 20 minutes.
In recent days, 30 to 40% of Transportation Security Administration agents have called out at Atlanta’s airport, according to the Department of Homeland Security. That’s because of a government shutdown triggered by a stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, of which TSA is a part. TSA agents have not been receiving pay, forcing many of them to seek income elsewhere.
“It’s not fair to them to encourage them to come to work when they’re not getting paid for it. Who would do that?” said Tedi Zimmerman, who showed up at the airport four hours before her flight to Fort Lauderdale. “I mean, I admire the ones that show up. I think that’s wonderful.”
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She had a message for the Washington politicians whose impasse has prolonged the shutdown, causing snarls at airport checkpoints across the country.
“Get your act together,” she said. “There are priorities. This is one of them. This is crazy.”
“Wow, this is very unexpected,” said James Williams, who just flew in from the Dominican Republic and was on his way to Charlotte.
He worried he might miss his flight because of the lengthy lines.
Otessa Lofton, who was bound for Las Vegas, said she allowed herself ample time to arrive at the airport to avoid missing her flight. She doesn’t fault the TSA agents for the airport snarls.
“It is frustrating, but at the same time we’re patient,” she said. “We’re patient with the lines and we know the ones that are working are working as hard as they can.”
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The shutdown comes as the airport sees increased traffic for spring break. Officials say between Thursday and Sunday, about 350,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport. The longest waits have been in the morning hours, with improvements as the day progresses.
Ann Alrick, who works for the U.S. Department of Defense, arrived four hours before her flight as she heads home to Okinawa, Japan.
“We’re federal workers ourselves,” she said. “We went through this last fall, not getting paid, but TSA workers have been so wonderful and compassionate and kind and positive in spite of their circumstances.”