Even as President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pay the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, airport lines could still linger in the coming months.
Staffing Woes At TSA
On Sunday, Business Insider reported that the queues could still be around even after the paycheck approval due to staffing shortages, citing Ha Nguyen McNeill, who serves as the TSA’s Deputy Administrator. McNeill shared that over 500 staff members had quit their jobs since the DHS shutdown and over 1,000 agents had quit last year during the shutdown.
The report also said that staffing woes could stretch into the FIFA World Cup 2026, slated to begin in the coming months, as training newly-hired staff could take as long as six months, the report said.
Air Fares Could Go Up
Travel woes continue amid the ongoing conflict in Iran as United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) CEO Scott Kirby shared that air fares could see a hike as the surging jet fuel costs, due to the situation in the Middle East, continue to pose challenges for the industry.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) also criticized the escalating tensions in the region, sharing that jet fuel prices have skyrocketed since the war began.
Markwayne Mullin Slams Shutdown
Trump’s DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, on the other hand, has hailed the White House’s decision to pay the salaries of the TSA employees. Mullin also criticized the Democratic Party lawmakers. “These hours long lines and thousands of Americans missing their flights was caused solely by the Democrats reckless @DHSgov shutdown,” he said in a post on the social media platform X last week.
Mullin replaces former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was fired from her role following a probe into a $220 million government advertising campaign.
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