Overview

• TSA says about 61,000 of its 64,000 employees are classified as essential and are working without pay, and the agency is prepared to screen roughly 2.5 million passengers daily though longer waits are likely if the lapse persists.
• Major airports report no immediate widespread disruptions, with New York–area hubs operating normally and Phoenix Sky Harbor posting average security waits under 20 minutes in the first days of the shutdown.
• DOT had outlined plans to furlough more than 11,000 FAA employees if funding lapsed, and the FAA is already short more than 2,800 air traffic controllers, increasing the risk of delays if the shutdown continues.
• Airport authorities, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are monitoring federal checkpoint staffing and advising travelers to arrive earlier as they implement contingency plans.
• Unions and travel experts warn that prolonged lapses have previously led to sick-outs and longer screening times, and the U.S. Travel Association estimates the shutdown could cost the travel economy about $1 billion per week.