This week's TSA chaos will look like 'child's play' if the shutdown isn't solved soon, Transportation Secretary says
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
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Business Insider
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Pete Syme
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With TSA agents set to miss another paycheck next week, Sean Duffy told CNBC the current chaos could get even worse.
- Passengers have faced long lines at airports as TSA agents call out of work.
- Sean Duffy told CNBC it will look like "child's play" if they miss another paycheck next week.
- "Air travel's going to come to a grid halt stop," he added.
Travellers, be warned: The worst could be yet to come.
Since missing their first full paycheck last Friday, more agents from the Transportation Security Administration have been calling out of work.
"As we get into next week and they're about to miss another payment, this is going to look like child's play, what's happening right now," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CNBC on Thursday.
He then echoed Adam Stahl, the TSA's acting deputy administrator, who said earlier this week that some airports could be forced to shut down if issues persist.
"You're going to see small airports, I believe, shut down," Duffy told CNBC. "You're going to see extensive lines, and air travel's going to come to a grid halt stop."
Staffing shortages have been causing hourslong lines at some airports since the partial government shutdown began on February 14.
Monday saw the highest nationwide rate of TSA agents calling out of work since the start of the shutdown, at 10.22%.
The Department of Homeland Security said the average callout rate was previously less than 2%, but has exceeded 6% during the shutdown.
Democrats and Republicans are blaming each other for the shutdown.
While Republicans want extra funding for the Department of Homeland Security, including billions more for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Democrats want ICE to be reformed in the wake of January's turmoil in Minneapolis.
Wait times at several airports exceeded 60 minutes at times this week, with Atlanta, the world's busiest airport by passenger numbers, seeing waits of almost 2 hours.
Plus, more than 360 TSA agents have left the force since the shutdown began.
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