NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — As far as crowds are concerned, it really depends on when you get to the airport and time of your flight.
The lines are longer in the morning and late afternoons, but as of noon at Newark Liberty International Airport the lines were moving smoothly and the wait to get through security was less than 10 minutes on Tuesday.
This is far different from the images we have seen at multiple airports around the country.
There have been long lines where passengers have to wait more than two hours to get through security.
The airports in Atlanta and in Houston, Texas have been a nightmare for travelers.
Passengers have complained about missing flights as lines wrap through the terminals and even snake outside.
The frustration at those locations is mounting as TSA workers are calling in sick after missing another pay cycle due to the partial government shutdown.
At Newark , there are is enough TSA staff to keep things moving. Unmasked ICE agents were walking through the terminal. They have not been engaging with passengers. The people who are flying were pleased that this airport was running smoothly.
“They’ve done a great job pushing us through, absolutely,” said Alicia Lynn, a traveler.
“Being here I was pleasantly surprised that the lines really weren’t that long,” said Warren Lynn, a traveler. “So, it’s a great day to be going through security.”
“It’s like everything else in life, uncertainty is not helping. You have to plan ahead and just assume it’s going to be the worst case and if you get lucky, you get lucky, sir,” said Dave DiPetrillo, a traveler.
The TSA is expected to give an update on Tuesday afternoon on how the government shut down continues to impact workers who once again have gone without being paid for weeks.
Delta Airlines, meantime, said it is suspending special services for Congress members that allowed them to skip lines and receive airport escorts.
Delta said its priority is, “taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment.”
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