Travelers encounter long waits at some airports as DHS shutdown affects security checkpoints

Описание: (9 Mar 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Houston - 9 March 2026
1.Various of people in lines outside the airport terminal drop-off area at William P. Hobby Airport
2. Mid of people wait in line at the TSA Pre-check lines
3. Wide of TSA Pre-check lines
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Will Sims, Traveling from Houston to Los Angeles:
"Yes, so far it has been good, but I'm very empathetic to the people that are having to deal with the three, four, five hour lines, because obviously it's spring break. Travel plans are getting delayed or canceled, and so you have children involved, which is very tough.”
5. Tracking shot of a kid rides on a travel luggage
6. Mid of people wait in line
7. Left-to-right pan of people wait in TSA lines
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Farrah Barrera, Traveling from Houston to Florida:
“Because the government shut down, I feel for the people working without pay. We usually fly out of Hobby and there's no issues, so this was surprising because I'm glad we planned ahead."
9. Mid of people in lines are seen outside the airport terminal drop-off area at William P. Hobby Airport
10. Mid of people in wait line
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Will Sims, Traveling from Houston to Los Angeles:
"I have never seen it like this before, so I know there's a government shutdown happening. But I don't really know the specifics of it, but I know that that possibly could be in play."
12. Mid of people in lines are seen outside the airport terminal drop-off area at William P. Hobby Airport
13. Mid of people wait in TSA lines
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Farrah Barrera, Traveling from Houston to Florida:
"We will make our flight. I feel for the people that didn't allow enough time, so we'll let people pass as we can."
15. Mid of people in lines are seen outside the airport terminal drop-off area at William P. Hobby Airport
16. Mid of sign that reads "We love Houston."



STORYLINE:
Travelers complained of long waits Sunday — lasting hours in some cases — at security checkpoints at airports in Houston and New Orleans, which officials blamed on a government shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The estimated wait time at the standard security checkpoint at the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston early Sunday evening was at one point three hours, according to the Houston Airports website. The Hobby airport on social media Friday said it expected more travelers than normal due to spring break.

In a series of posts Sunday, the airport on X went from urging travelers to arrive early to asking them to arrive 3 to 4 hours before their flights to eventually asking them to arrive 4 to 5 hours early to allow extra time for screening, citing the partial government shutdown.

A statement from Houston Airports, which counts Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of its system, said the shutdown “can impact security operations day-to-day and shift-to-shift.” Wait times at checkpoints at George Bush Intercontinental Airport early Sunday evening were as brief as a few minutes.

Posts on X from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sunday said a shortage of TSA agents at the security checkpoint was leading to “longer-than-average” lines. The airport urged travelers to arrive at least three hours before their flights and said wait times could last up to two hours. It warned similar delays could continue through the coming week.


AP Video by Lekan Oyekanmi

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