Overview
- Early Tuesday brought shorter queues at Bush Intercontinental, with the airport site showing roughly 30 minutes at IAH around 6 a.m. and about 8 minutes at Hobby.
- The airport acknowledged its website had shown a locked 180-minute wait when lines moved beyond sensors, then updated the display to 15 minutes after a media inquiry.
- Officials attribute disruptions to TSA staffing shortfalls tied to the continuing federal shutdown and caution that extended lines could return.
- Operations at IAH remain constrained with only Terminals A and E checkpoints open, and United passengers checking bags at Terminal C before screening in Terminal E.
- Over the weekend and Monday, waits stretched past three hours—reportedly up to four and a half—leading to missed flights, and travelers are urged to arrive early and consider CLEAR or, for future trips, TSA PreCheck.