HOUSTON: George Bush Intercontinental Airport warned travelers on Thursday to expect security waits that could reach four hours or longer as reduced staffing continued to disrupt screening operations during the partial federal government shutdown. Houston Airports said TSA was operating only in Terminals A and E at Bush, with lines potentially extending outside the terminal areas. The airport said conditions at checkpoints could shift throughout the day as staffing levels and passenger volumes changed, urging passengers to allow extra time before departure.
The warning followed a brief easing in lines on Wednesday, when lower midweek passenger volumes produced shorter waits than earlier in the week. Airport officials said that relief was temporary and that higher traffic was expected to return on Thursday and Friday, driven in part by major events in Houston including CERAWeek and the NCAA Men’s Sweet 16. Officials said the combination of heavy passenger demand and reduced checkpoint staffing had turned Bush into one of the most heavily affected airports in the country.
At Bush, TSA PreCheck and CLEAR were unavailable, adding to delays for passengers who normally use expedited screening. Houston Airports said United travelers should check bags at Terminal C before proceeding to Terminal E for security, while passengers flying from Terminal D were told to check baggage there and then head to Terminal E for screening. The airport said its published wait times were being updated manually based on observed passenger flow and the number of open lanes, and warned that estimates could change quickly.
Shutdown Strain Spreads Through Screening Network
The Houston disruptions reflect a broader staffing crisis at airport checkpoints nationwide. Transportation Security Administration Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told lawmakers on Wednesday that more than 480 TSA officers had quit since the shutdown began in mid-February, while daily absences had climbed to more than 10% nationally. She said some major airports, including Houston, were recording callout rates above 30%, with some locations topping 40%. McNeill told Congress that the agency was facing the longest lines in its history as spring break travel lifted passenger volume.
Officials have taken several steps to keep Bush operating, though screening capacity remains reduced. Houston Airports said a small number of TSA National Deployment Officers had been sent to the airport to support additional screening lanes, and airport employees were helping with passenger assistance and other nonregulated tasks near checkpoints. Federal officials also said immigration and Homeland Security personnel had been deployed to airports around the country to support operations during the staffing crunch. Even with those measures, Houston Airports said waits at Bush could still stretch beyond four hours during peak periods.
Airlines Adjust As Passengers Rework Plans
The disruption has forced travelers and airlines to adjust routines at Bush. United posted a travel alert for Houston allowing eligible customers to reschedule flights without certain change costs, while other carriers also offered waivers as long lines spread across several major airports. At Bush, airport officials urged passengers to check airline apps before leaving home, monitor security wait times online and arrive early enough to complete check-in, screening and the trip to the gate under shifting operating conditions.
For Houston travelers, the immediate picture on Thursday was clear: fewer open checkpoints, suspended fast-track options and security lines that officials said could again stretch for hours as demand rose. Airport officials said customer service teams would remain on site to guide passengers as checkpoint availability changed from shift to shift. With screening still concentrated in Terminals A and E, the delays at Bush have become a visible measure of how the shutdown is disrupting day-to-day air travel during the spring rush – By Content Syndication Services.