Chris Paul/Houston Public Media
Hobby Airport entrance
Spring break and a partial shutdown of the federal government are causing a logjam at Hobby Airport in Houston, where travelers face hours-long wait times to make it through security screening lines.
The estimated wait time was three hours as of Monday morning, according to the Houston Airport System, with operates both Hobby in South Houston and Bush Intercontinental Airport in the northern part of the city. Security lines at Bush were moving much more quickly Monday, with estimated wait times of less than 30 minutes as of 9 a.m.
TSA workers, employed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, have been working without pay since mid-February because of a partial government shutdown. Staffing levels are impacting the number of security screening lanes open at a given time, according to the Houston Airport System, which says the number of lanes open can vary from shift to shift and from airport to airport.
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The Houston Airport System said in a Sunday news release that the city’s two major airports are expecting 2.2 million travelers during spring break, which for many local schools is this week.
“We’re seeing strong travel demand with fewer screening lanes open at some checkpoints,” the airport system said. “When more passengers meet fewer security lanes, wait times can grow quickly.”
Wait times at Hobby also peaked at about 3 hours on Sunday, according to The Associated Press, which reported similar delays at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
At Hobby on Monday, airport officials recommended that outbound travelers arrive 4 hours before their scheduled departures.