PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Travelers arriving at Philadelphia International Airport on Wednesday encountered closed checkpoints as the partial federal government shutdown continued to strain TSA staffing.

The security lines, however, weren’t nearly as long as they were at other airports across the country.

Some passengers said they arrived hours early, unsure how long it would take to get through security. For most, it wasn’t a long wait.

“I’ve been following it for a couple days. I saw they were closing a few more terminals last night, so we got here early,” one traveler said. “We have pre-check, but we didn’t want to risk it.”

Airport officials closed the Terminal C checkpoint last week, followed by closures on Wednesday morning at Terminals F and A-West. That left only three security checkpoints operating: Terminals D/E, A-East and B.

Lines fluctuated throughout the day as passengers adjusted to the changes.

For some travelers, the wait in Philadelphia was manageable compared with other airports.

“It’s not as bad as what I’ve seen on the news in other airports,” said Laurie Segreto of Sarasota, Florida.

Passengers connecting through Philadelphia from Chicago said the crowds here were far smaller than what they experienced at O’Hare.

“58,000 more people than this,” said Brittiney Cousin of Chicago.

“The line was ridiculous. The line was way out – people were coming in every second on the second,” added Elijah Watkins, also from Chicago.

TSA has consolidated checkpoints as employee callouts rise during the shutdown.

To show appreciation for federal workers still on the job, American Airlines staff provided free lunches to TSA employees on Wednesday.

“It means everything,” said TSA employee Jeff Craig. “The kindness and generosity of the airport here, the people from American, it means a ton to us. Because there’s a lot of people calling out, and those of us that are here are picking up. We do this because we love our country and we want it to be safe.”

Airport officials remind travelers that all terminals remain open and accessible once passengers clear security.

TSA PreCheck is currently available only at the D/E and A-East checkpoints, not at Terminal B.

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