Massive hourslong security lines continued to plague major airports across the country Thursday — with smaller hubs at risk of shutting down entirely during the spring break rush.
Fed-up passengers were forced to endure lengthy lines for Transportation Security Administration check points at several airports, including in Philadelphia and Houston, first thing Thursday morning.
Chaotic footage on social media showed travelers backed up on escalators and stairs at Philadelphia International Airport, which only had a handful of TSA stations open.
The security line at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport was already snaking outside the terminal before 7 a.m., videos showed.
More than 1,200 flights had already been delayed nationwide as of 10 a.m., according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.
The delays and huge wait times are being blamed on the Democrat-led partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, forcing roughly 50,000 airport security officers to go without pay.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Thursday that if the shutdown and TSA standoff continued, small airports could soon be shuttered in a drastic escalation.
“As we get into next week and they are about to miss another payment, this is going to look like child’s play what’s happening right now,” Duffy told CNBC.
“You’re going to see small airports, I believe, shut down. You’re going to see extensive lines.”
Since Sunday, about 10% of TSA personnel have failed to show for work daily — about five times the normal rate.
On Tuesday, roughly 30% of TSA agents did not show up at New York’s JFK, Pittsburgh and Houston Bush, Homeland Security Department said.
The current delays, which show no signs of easing, come just two weeks before Easter and Passover travel is set to pick up.
With Post wires
