The bustling Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport faced an unexpected challenge on Tuesday when over a third of its security screeners failed to report for duty. This absence resulted in passengers enduring wait times that stretched to two hours, as reported by the airport’s general manager.

This situation is not isolated, as airports nationwide have been grappling with extended lines. The issue stems from Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers being required to work without compensation during the high-demand spring break travel period.

In another significant incident, more than half of the TSA staff at Houston’s William P. Hobby International Airport were absent from work on Friday, highlighting the widespread impact of the current situation.

The root of this disruption lies in the ongoing impasse in Congress, which has left the Department of Homeland Security, encompassing 61,000 government employees, in a precarious position as it awaits funding resolution.

Aaron Barker, who serves as the local president of the American Federation of Government Employees union in Atlanta, shared insights into the situation. “The traveling public has been really nice,” Barker noted, adding an unexpected twist: “What is shocking, though, is a lot of people are unaware that we are in a government shutdown.”

Behind the scenes, TSA employees face grim realities, including eviction notices, repossessed vehicles, and financial strain marked by empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts. Yet, the passengers they diligently serve may remain oblivious to these personal hardships.

At least 366 transportation security officers have quit since the start of the most recent shutdown, according to DHS.

What workers are dealing with

These workers have been through three lapses in funding resulting in missed pay over the past six months, DHS noted in a news release Tuesday.

Late last year, the longest government shutdown in US history ended after federal workers, including TSA officers and Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers, went without pay for 43 days. Some stopped showing up to their jobs to make ends meet elsewhere, disrupting travel.

The workers received their back pay days after the shutdown ended, but for some it took until February to pay off debts, AFGE told CNN.

A brief shutdown happened again in late January and lasted only a few days before Congress funded the department for two weeks. That money ran out in mid-February and DHS employees started missing paychecks again.

“I’ve heard from officers who cannot afford copayments for cancer treatments or office visits for their sick children,” Barker said.

Some airports have started asking travelers to assist the TSA officers. Denver International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas have requested donations of items, including grocery and gas gift cards, non-perishable food, hygiene products and infant supplies.

The city of Atlanta is providing TSA officers with two meal vouchers per shift and free parking, according to a statement from Mayor Andre Dickens on Monday.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport had a burger truck deliver food to TSA employees on Tuesday.

At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the Anne Arundel County Food Bank delivered boxes of food for the airport’s 600 TSA employees, the food bank said in a statement.

While the support is appreciated, it’s not enough for workers losing thousands of dollars they need to survive right now, said Johnny Jones, the secretary-treasurer of the AFGE council, which represents TSA officers.

“I consider all these things giving Band-Aids to a patient who lost his leg,” he said. “The diagnosis and a treatment is not proper.”

Erik Hansen, the senior vice president and head of government relations for the US Travel Association, has said previous focus groups show travelers aren’t really aware of who pays officers and whether it’s the federal government, airport or airline.

“They see it all as one process, and so when it doesn’t work, they blame everyone,” Hansen said.

TSA employees are among the lowest-paid federal workers

Missing paychecks would hurt any worker, but TSA employees are not among the highest paid government employees.

The agency’s hiring website lists several job openings for officers to provide “security and protection of travelers across all transportation sectors in a courteous and professional manner.”

Most positions start at about $40,000, based in locations like Ithaca, New York; Alexandria, Louisiana; or Dothan, Alabama. In Chicago, the jobs start at $45,000. Positions listed for officers in more remote places like Nome, Alaska, can start around $75,000.

The salaries were increased in 2024 to make the compensation match other workers in the federal government, which the department says increased retention.

Qualifications to be an officer include being at least 18, being a US citizen or national, having a high school diploma or equivalent, and passing a drug screening.

The jobs are not law enforcement positions, but do require at least four to six months of training, including two to three weeks at a TSA Academy.

Any end in sight?

Much like passengers feel at the end of a massive security line, it doesn’t seem an end to the current shutdown is in sight.

Two sources familiar with negotiations told CNN congressional Democrats returned a counteroffer to the White House Monday – nearly 20 days after the administration’s last offer.

The latest proposal did not move the debate in any significant way and negotiators are still relatively locked into their initial positions and demands, one source familiar with the talks warned.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high for airlines and passengers.

In a letter Sunday, the CEOs of major airlines, including American, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue, urged Congress to restore DHS funding and embrace a bipartisan solution to ensure federal aviation workers are paid during shutdowns.