PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Security lines will likely get longer at Philadelphia International Airport. Two more security checkpoints at PHL closed starting Wednesday, as an ongoing partial government shutdown leads to a growing shortage of Transportation Safety Administration agents.
Screening areas at Terminal C were already closed since last week due to staffing shortages. Now the checkpoints at Terminals A-West and F will also close. TSA PreCheck will be available at Terminals A-East and D/E.
The disruptions stem from the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which started on Feb. 14. Lawmakers are at a stalemate over funding for the department.
Democratic lawmakers have pushed for restrictions on the actions of immigration enforcement agents, after two U.S. citizens were killed in separate January shootings in Minneapolis by agents representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol. Republicans have refused offers to open individual agencies without funding ICE.
In the meantime, TSA employees have been working without pay, missing their first full paychecks last week. More than 300 agents have resigned, while many have called out sick, leading to bottlenecks at checkpoints nationwide.
Many travelers at PHL have allowed three to four hours ahead of their flight time to get through security.
Robbie Mahallati from Philly was headed to Fort Lauderdale Tuesday afternoon. He found lines at Terminal D long, but moving. "I come here quite a bit and usually I go right up to the twirly area," he said, "but we are backed up into the hallway area, and that is long."
When it comes to the TSA agents working without pay, he said he feels bad for them, but would rather not get into the politics of the situation.
"I think we shouldn't be in this situation. I think during this time when they shut us down, Congress should not get paid. That's what I honestly think," he said, "and they should also not be able to escort through PreCheck. I think they should stand in line and not get paid along with the other people."
"I feel sorry for the people who are working with no pay, because most other people wouldn't work without pay," said Christina Benzenhaffer. "They're letting airfare continue, but they're not getting paid because Congress can't agree on paying them, right?"
Benzenhaffer said she might not do the same if she were in their shoes.
"I think if that were me, I probably wouldn't just show up to work like most normal people wouldn't. So they're kind of heroes, really."
This is the third government shutdown that workers have had to deal with in the last six months. A union official said many haven't been able to get back on track after the long shutdown last year.
