Lingering impact of shutdown on airports ahead of holiday travel season

HOUSTON – As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, Houston Airports are bracing for one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

By the numbers:

Officials anticipate approximately 2.1 million passengers will pass through the city’s airports, with 1.6 million at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and around 500,000 at William P. Hobby Airport.

According to AAA, 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday period, a 2% increase compared to 2024.

How are airports recovering from the government shutdown?

Big picture view:

This surge in travelers comes on the heels of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which left TSA agents and FAA air traffic controllers without pay for weeks. It led to staffing shortages and lengthy screening lines.

Local perspective:

Despite these challenges, a Houston Airports spokesperson assured that they are ready to handle the holiday influx.

“From a TSA perspective, we’re almost back to full staffing,” said Jim Szczesniak, Director of Aviation for Houston Airports. “We’ve got the Terminals A, C, and E checkpoints open, and Terminal D will be open tomorrow.”

Houston’s airports, along with Beaumont airport, employ approximately 1,500 TSA agents. Some agents are still awaiting their paychecks, but many received payment on Thursday, according to David Fitz, a spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration. 

“Even though the government shutdown is over, they were still showing up to work without a paycheck. We fully expect that within the next couple of days, every TSA employee will be paid,” said Fitz. 

What’s next:

In preparation for the holiday rush, International Terminal E is now open, and the Uber and pick-up area in Terminal C has been doubled in size. The busiest travel days are expected to be Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, as well as the Sunday following the holiday when travelers return home.

What you can do:

For information on TSA wait times at IAH, click here. For information on TSA wait times at Hobby, click here. 

The Source: The information in this article comes from the Transportation Security Administration, AAA and Houston Airports.

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