As Government Shutdown Drags On, See What TSA Wait Times Look Like in New Orleans

The maximum wait times at the New Orleans Louis Armstrong Airport (MSY) remain below 20 minutes for both regular and PreCheck customers despite the current federal government shutdown. According to the latest information released by the Transportation Security Agency, the maximum recorded wait time on Monday (Jan. 19) was 19 minutes, with PreCheck lines maxing out at 4 minutes. Wait times across the country were relatively normal with the exception of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport where the maximum regular wait was 88 minutes (55 minutes for PreCheck customers).

TSA officers are among the 800,000 government employees expected to work without pay during the fourth week of the government shutdown, the longest the United States has ever seen.  CNN reported that an increasing number of employees have been calling in sick, with about 6.8 percent of TSA officers nationwide having an unscheduled absence on Monday, up 2.5 percent the same day last year. The official release ensured that airport and TSA officials continue to work closely to keep checkpoints secure, but they are not releasing staffing information for specific airports due to security reasons. The TSA recommends passengers arrive early enough to handle unanticipated wait times.