Travelers across the country are facing long, frustrating waits at airport security as a partial government shutdown stretches the nation’s TSA workforce just as spring-break travel ramps up, The Wall Street Journal reports.

At several major airports, security lines have stretched for hours, with some passengers missing flights after waiting in lines that snake through terminals and even into parking garages.

The delays are tied to the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration.

Funding for the agency lapsed on Feb. 14, leaving roughly 50,000 TSA officers working without pay while they continue staffing security checkpoints.

Airport officials say the combination of heavy travel demand and fewer staffed screening lanes is creating major bottlenecks.

“We’re seeing strong travel demand with fewer screening lanes open at some checkpoints,” said Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System.

At Houston’s Hobby Airport, some travelers reported waiting more than three hours in security lines that wound around the length of the concourse. Airport officials advised passengers to arrive four hours before their flights to avoid missing departures.

In New Orleans, videos posted online showed security lines so long they spilled into the airport parking garage.

Security waits approaching an hour or longer have also been reported at airports including Atlanta, Charlotte and Houston, and officials warn delays could worsen as spring travel accelerates.

Meanwhile, TSA officers are feeling the financial strain of working through yet another shutdown.

The agency’s screeners received only a partial paycheck on Feb. 28 and are expected to miss their first full paycheck this week.

The situation comes less than six months after TSA employees endured another prolonged shutdown. In 2025, they worked through the record 43-day federal shutdown without pay.

Starting annual pay for a TSA officer is in the low $40,000 range, said Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the union representing TSA workers, noting that many officers live paycheck to paycheck.

Some workers are now scrambling to cover bills while continuing to show up at security checkpoints.

Jones said officers have taken side jobs such as food delivery and some have even donated plasma for extra cash.

“Last time I checked, Kroger doesn’t take an IOU,” Jones said.

The shutdown stems from a political standoff in Washington over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

The House has passed a funding measure, but it has stalled in the Senate after Democrats blocked the bill three times, citing concerns about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.

Until lawmakers reach a deal, airport officials say travelers should prepare for long lines — and allow far more time to get through security than usual.