Travelers face long waits at some US airports amid DHS shutdown

Wait times at security checkpoints in Houston and New Orleans as long as three hours due to shortage of TSA agents Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Travelers complained of long waits on Sunday – lasting hours in some cases – at security checkpoints at airports in Houston and New Orleans, which officials blamed on a government shutdown of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The estimated wait time at the standard security checkpoint at the William P Hobby airport in Houston early on Sunday evening was at one point three hours, according to the Houston Airport System website. The Hobby airport said on social media on Friday it expected more travelers than normal due to spring break. In a series of posts on Sunday, the airport on X went from urging travelers to arrive early to asking them to arrive three to four hours before their flights. The airport eventually asked travelers to arrive four to five hours early to allow extra time for screening, citing the partial government shutdown. A statement from Houston Airports, which counts Hobby and George Bush intercontinental airport as part of its system, said the shutdown “can impact