Air travelers in Houston this weekend waited three hours or more to get through security at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Flights in Atlanta were significantly delayed.
But so far, Denver International Airport has seen few delays during the federal shutdown.
Security wait times have remained stable throughout the shutdown, according to real-time data posted by the airport and analyzed by Denverite.
From Oct. 12 through Nov. 3, estimated wait times never exceeded 35 minutes, the data showed. And wait times at the busiest time of day — in the 8 a.m. hour — changed little as the shutdown dragged on.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees are considered essential, meaning they have to work throughout the shutdown, without pay.
A spokesperson for DIA confirmed to Denverite in October that those workers are going unpaid in this year's shutdown.
“TSA and FAA Air Traffic Control staff are required to continue working unpaid during a federal shutdown. That being said, we cannot guarantee that TSA and FAA staffing would not be affected,” the airport wrote.
During the last shutdown in 2018, many TSA agents and air traffic controllers called out sick over not getting paid. The TSA reported an unscheduled absence rate of 6.8 percent during the shutdown, compared to a 2.5 percent rate the year before.
However, according to the TSA, screening times weren’t heavily impacted during that time either, despite the increase in absences. Wait times in the 2018 shutdown generally stayed under 30 minutes nationally, according to the statement.
Denver recently changed its security arrangement, shutting down the South Security checkpoint that was notorious for long lines. The airport now has East and West checkpoints that have 17 lanes each and are designed to move travelers through faster.
If the government shutdown lasts through Wednesday, it will be the longest shutdown in U.S. history. It began Oct. 1 and has continued for 34 days. Its effects are building up across the country — including a sharp reduction in SNAP benefits.
Denverite journalist Kevin J. Beaty contributed to this article.
