TSA wait times of more than four hours are possible Thursday at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, according to airport officials, who advised travelers not to pay others to wait in line for them.
Wednesday saw noticeably shorter lines at Bush and Hobby airports, but thousands more travelers are expected on Thursday and Friday, Houston Airport System officials said in a news release. Bush Airport saw the longest TSA wait times in the country on Monday and Tuesday, the New York Times and CNN reported.
For security purposes, airport officials said passengers should stay with their belongings while waiting and should not pay people offering to hold their place in line, as they are “not authorized and have not been vetted.”
“Passengers who choose to use unauthorized services do so at their own risk,” the news release reads.
TSA Precheck and CLEAR were not available at Bush Airport on Wednesday. Passengers flying United Airlines were instructed to check their bags in Terminal C, then proceed to Terminal E for TSA, where wait times were about two hours Wednesday evening.
The Houston Airport System tracks and updates TSA wait times at both airports on its website, though they are estimates and may not reflect real-time queues.
Additional workers were also brought in on Wednesday to help support airport operations, including the opening of an additional screening lane or two at Bush, officials said.
“On Wednesday, March 25, a small number of TSA National Deployment Officers (NDOs) were deployed to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH),” officials said. “NDOs deploy across the country to assist airports experiencing severe staffing shortages, peak travel demand, emergencies or special events.”