Wait times in at Bush Airport were four hours or more on Monday. The NTSB said an air traffic specialist was stuck in line, trying to get to New York.

HOUSTON — Travelers all across the country are feeling the effects of the government shutdown, specifically in long security lines. That’s the case in Houston, where wait times at security checkpoints reached four hours or more at Bush Airport.

Those long security lines and other travel troubles around the country apparently slowed down the investigation into the overnight crash between an Air Canada plane and an emergency vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. 

During a news conference on Monday, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy was speaking to the media about the investigation and how the agency had trouble getting its team together. That included one person who was stuck in a security line in Houston.

“We have one our … air traffic control specialist who was in line with TSA for three hours until we called in Houston to beg to see if we can get her through so we can get her here,” Homendy said. “So it’s been a really, a really big challenge to get the entire team here and they’re still arriving as I speak right up until about, I think the latest I saw was midnight, maybe 1 a.m. tomorrow morning.”

Two pilots were killed and several people were injured in the LaGuardia crash. 


TSA staffing shortages driving delays

The airport delays come as Transportation Security Administration staffing levels continue to drop during the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.

Federal officials say TSA officers have been working without pay since the shutdown began Feb. 14, contributing to a surge in callouts nationwide.

New data shows absenteeism rates reached 11.5% on March 21 — the highest recorded during the shutdown.

In Houston, the impact has been even more severe.

At Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), 42.4% of TSA officers reportedly called out, while Hobby Airport saw a 47.4% callout rate.

Officials say the shortages are leading to long lines, fewer open screening lanes and rapidly changing conditions at airports across the country.

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