Airports across Texas are facing growing chaos as the ongoing Democrat-led government shutdown stretches into another week—grounding flights, lengthening lines, and leaving aviation employees unpaid.
At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, passengers reported waiting up to five hours on Monday to clear TSA checkpoints.
A White House press release described the situation as a “full-scale disaster disrupting millions of air travelers’ lives,” noting that wait times have ballooned past three hours on average, with some passengers waiting even longer.
Nearby William P. Hobby Airport has also seen security lines exceeding an hour, according to federal officials.
“There’s a reason every major travel stakeholder — from air traffic controllers to pilots to the nation’s largest airlines — is begging Democrats to stop the insanity by passing Republicans’ clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution,” a White House statement read. “Each week the Democrat Shutdown is prolonged, $1+ billion in travel-related spending is lost, all while Democrats try to ‘leverage’ the suffering in their demented political game.”
The disruptions aren’t limited to Houston. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has issued multiple ground delays over the past several days, including one lasting from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday. Similar holds were issued over the weekend.
Both TSA screeners and air traffic controllers are now working without pay, leading to widespread staff shortages and longer processing times at checkpoints and in control towers.
Airline and travel industry leaders have warned that continued shutdown conditions, which began October 1, could result in greater flight cancellations, reduced staffing, and safety risks if not resolved soon.
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