It was only a few weeks ago that the TSA claimed victory over the scourge of long lines at airport security, but now it seems those long lines could return. “Could,” however, is the operative word, and it all comes down to Congress.
According to Skift, the additional TSA staffing added over the summer is at risk if the government can’t agree on a budget by October 1. A government shutdown—which, though it defies any sense of reason or logic, is starting to sound like a possibility—would force the TSA to cut that new staff.
Skift reports that TSA Chief Peter Neffeneger suggested his agency was receiving “good signals” and “strong support” from the Obama administration. Publicly it seems like there’s some cause for optimism, though Congress’ recent penchant for eleventh-hour agreements means no one should feel too confident until the ink is dry.
With any luck, this is all just theater and politics and ultimately, not an issue. And if nothing else, at least we can’t blame the TSA for once, right?
However—and this is a big “however”—undoing those staffing changes would likely have dramatic and rather immediate consequences for travelers. Neffeneger said new staff would “all go home on October 1st” if an agreement can’t be reached. In case you forgot, this spring the TSA was dealing with wait times of up to two hours at some airports. Those wait times were drastically reduced when the agency added staffing this summer.
More from SmarterTravel.com:
- TSA to Comic Book Fans: Stop Bringing Batarangs on Planes
- TSA Testing Potentially Time-Saving Changes
- Is the TSA’s PreCheck Overpriced and Overcomplicated?
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
Related
Top Fares From
Today's Top Travel Deals
Brought to you by ShermansTravel
Black Friday Sale: 6-Night India Tour,...
Exoticca
vacation $1599+Amsterdam to Copenhagen: Luxe, 18-Night Northern...
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
cruise $12399+Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati
85OFF.com
Car Rental $19+