GROUND STOP
Why are some airports impacted worse than others?
The Not-So-Surprising Reason Why Some Airports Remain Immune To The Current Chaos
Egregious wait times at airports have quickly become all the rage — quite literally — as traveler frustration boils over, but the severity varies widely from one airport to another. While some airports are reporting delays of six hours or more, others are moving travelers through security in six minutes or less. Why? The answer lies in staffing models and privatization. During the government shutdown, private contractors continue to be paid through pre-funded contracts, while federal TSA employees are not. As a result, many TSA officers have called out or quit, while privately staffed airports remain largely unaffected.On Sunday, more than 10% of TSA agents called out nationwide. New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) saw the highest rate, with 42.3% of agents absent. “This pointless, reckless shutdown of our homeland security workforce has caused more than 400 TSA officers to quit and thousands to call out from work because they are not able to afford gas, childcare, food, or rent,” said Lauren Bis, acting assistant DHS secretary.Roughly 20 airports in the United...
