SAN DIEGO — The federal government shutdown has entered its sixth day, affecting thousands of federal workers, including Transportation Security Administration agents at airports nationwide. While travelers report relatively normal experiences so far, concerns grow about potential disruptions if the shutdown continues.
At the local airport, passengers described mixed experiences with flight delays, though most attributed issues to routine maintenance rather than shutdown-related staffing problems.
"They delayed our flight to 11 to 11:29, then they delayed it for another minute to 11:30," said Preston House, a 10-year-old traveler who experienced a long morning with his mother.
Despite the delays, House said going through TSA security was relatively normal, describing it as "kind of slow and kind of fast."
Other passengers echoed similar experiences with airport security.
"I think it was pretty smooth sailing," said Paul Drinkard.
Lynn McDaniel said she arrived early, expecting delays, but found the process efficient.
"Even got there a little early because I was afraid that there might be some delays, but I cruised right through TSA," McDaniel said.
However, some travelers experienced longer ground delays.
"It took about 45 minutes for our plane to taxi out," said Joanne Drinkard.
The current situation differs from the last major government shutdown that began in 2018 and lasted 35 days. According to ABC News, many TSA officers called out of work during that shutdown due to financial hardship, causing staffing shortages that led to TSA line closures and increased wait times.
If the current shutdown continues through the end of the week, TSA agents will miss their first paycheck, raising concerns about potential staffing issues.
Some travelers are already preparing for possible disruptions on return trips.
"So we're prepared for it. We'll leave probably 3 hours early to get to the airport, then, you know, just a regular 2 hours," Paul Drinkard said.
In a statement, TSA acknowledged that an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times and asked for passengers' patience during this period.
ABC 10News also contacted the Federal Aviation Administration about potential impacts to air traffic control, but due to the shutdown, an automated response indicated they may not respond to inquiries.
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