TSA Workers Receive Back Pay, But Airport Security Lines Remain Challenging

Experienced officers quitting amid ongoing government shutdown create long-term staffing issues for TSA.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:20pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A dynamic, fragmented painting depicting the motion of a TSA agent, with overlapping geometric shapes in muted tones of blue, grey, and brown, conveying the disruption and uncertainty facing airport security during the government shutdown.The partial government shutdown has led to a wave of TSA officer departures, creating long-term challenges for airport security operations.NYC Today

Travelers arriving at airports on Monday were met with shorter security lines as some TSA officers began receiving back pay for work completed during the ongoing partial government shutdown. However, union leaders warn that the loss of experienced officers who have quit in recent weeks will create long-term challenges for TSA operations and recruitment.

Why it matters

The partial government shutdown has caused significant disruptions to airport security operations, with long lines and staffing shortages. While the back pay and shorter lines provide some relief, the TSA is facing a retention crisis that could have lasting impacts on airport security and traveler experience.

The details

At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, two of the airports worst hit by shortages and long lines, wait times were under 15 minutes on March 30. At John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, wait times reduced to about 40 minutes on Monday afternoon. However, individual facilities still saw call out rates in the double digits, with Atlanta reporting 28.8% and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston with 23.6%. The department notes the highest national call out rate was 12.35% on March 27.

  • The partial government shutdown that caused the travel chaos started in mid-February.
  • On Friday, March 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive action directing 'funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations' to provide employees with their accrued compensation and benefits.

The players

Hydrick Thomas

President of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 100.

Darrell English

President of the American Federation of Government Employees' Local 777 union, representing Chicago-area airports.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Backpay alone does not fix those problems. And our fellow DHS employees are still not being paid thanks to the dysfunction in Congress. To say we are utterly disgusted and disappointed with our elected officials is an understatement.”

— Hydrick Thomas, President of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 100

“The sad part about it is that these officers that we're losing are going to be very hard to replace. We're going to be missing experienced individuals that have left the agency and there's no one there to replace them that has that level of knowledge at the present time.”

— Darrell English, President of the American Federation of Government Employees' Local 777 union

What’s next

The TSA and Department of Homeland Security will need to focus on retaining experienced officers and recruiting new talent to address the long-term staffing challenges created by the government shutdown.

The takeaway

While the back pay and shorter security lines provide some temporary relief, the TSA is facing a retention crisis that could have lasting impacts on airport security and traveler experience if not addressed.