Passengers at Philadelphia International Airport are moving through security lines smoothly despite a month-old partial federal government shutdown that has caused TSA employee shortages, writes Briana Smith for 6abc.
About 60,000 TSA employees nationwide are required to remain on the job but don’t get paid during the shutdown. Hundreds of TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began, triggering longer lines at some airports.
Lines were still moving smoothly at PHL on Saturday afternoon, with average waits of 15 minutes or less.
Despite lines at checkpoints for Terminals D and E, wait times were manageable. One security checkpoint in Terminal C was closed by the Transportation Security Administration.
Passengers are arriving early to compensate for any delays, and continue to express support for the federal employees.
Many TSA employees are calling out as they look for second jobs, said Joe Shuker, regional vice president of AFGE Council 100, which represents 800 officers at the airport.
“People are sleeping in their cars. People are taking second jobs driving Uber. Our officers, they’re going to come to work until they can’t. The stress point is different for everyone,” Shuker said.
Read more about how TSA officers are being affected by the partial shutdown at 6abc.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on DELCO Today in March 2026.
