Airport Lines Start to Ease as TSA Workers Recoup Back Pay

Thousands of TSA employees receive overdue paychecks after government shutdown

Mar. 30, 2026 at 12:05pm

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Airport security lines have begun to improve as tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers start receiving back pay they missed during the recent partial government shutdown. While some major hubs like Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport are still advising passengers to allow extra time, wait times have dropped significantly at many airports across the country.

Why it matters

The long security lines and staffing shortages at airports during the shutdown caused major disruptions for travelers, with some facing hours-long waits. The back pay for TSA workers should help restore normal operations, though the agency has also lost around 500 employees since the shutdown began.

The details

About 61,000 TSA employees have been working without pay since the partial government shutdown started on February 14. Those workers have missed over $1 billion in pay, forcing some to max out credit cards and struggle to afford basic needs. On Monday, some TSA workers in Atlanta reported receiving two full paychecks they had missed, though they are still waiting on a partial paycheck from late February.

  • The partial government shutdown began on February 14, 2026.
  • On Monday, March 30, 2026, some TSA workers started receiving back pay they had missed.
  • As of last week, around 3,450 to 3,560 TSA workers were calling out per day, but that number dropped to about 2,800 on Saturday.

The players

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The federal agency responsible for security screenings at U.S. airports.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The federal department that oversees the TSA.

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What they’re saying

“We'll see whether ICE starts leaving airports after TSA agents receive pay.”

— Tom Homan, Border Czar

What’s next

It is unclear when TSA employees will receive all the back pay they are owed, and the agency has already lost around 500 workers since the shutdown began. Airport operations may continue to be disrupted until the workforce is fully restored.

The takeaway

The return of TSA pay should help alleviate the severe airport delays and staffing shortages caused by the government shutdown, but it may take time for normal operations to fully resume. This incident highlights the impact that political gridlock can have on critical public services.