During a lengthy government shutdown, travelers are often rightfully concerned about the strain on TSA workers, who are required to continue airport screenings without pay. A poll by Airfarewatchdog (SmarterTravel’s sister company) recently found that 62 percent of travelers are concerned about safety at airports during a shutdown. Plus, 47 percent think that airlines should have to pay for private security to fill gaps during worker shortages.
But clearly, neither airlines nor airports are required to fill those gaps—and need to continue operating despite them. That can mean longer security lines, and a lot more general airport havoc. And with no real insight from the airline on how to cope, many passengers are left wondering what they can do.
Related:Airports Close Terminals During Government Shutdown TSA Shortage TSA Government Shutdown Need-to-Knows
TSA and airports do know several basic things during a government shutdown, including which app can help you figure out how long it’ll take to get through the airport if you’re concerned about security wait times. Here are five things you need to know about TSA woes during a government shutdown.
The Problem: During a shutdown, TSA employees are not getting their paychecks but working anyway. During the weeks-long January 2019 shutdown, lots of TSA employees called in sick—most likely because they needed to find other work so they can keep up with their bills. With overall staffing down (TSA confirmed absences had spiked) some airports had to consolidate checkpoints or shut down terminals.
The Confusion: TSA often responds to reports of delays that wait times are largely normal, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your particular airport is fine. For example, during the most recent shutdown TSA reported that despite the staff shortages, 99 percent of travelers processed through security within the “standard” maximum time of 30 minutes—a claim that’s difficult to affirm or refute at any given time or on any given day. Local news media, meanwhile, reported wait times well in excess of the standard 30 minutes at some key airports, notably including Atlanta and Houston/Bush.
The Resources: So, how do you find out what’s actually happening at your airport? Only a handful of airports, including Atlanta, Denver, Houston, and New York/La Guardia post delay times on their websites. The MyTSA app, however, allows users to share real-time security processing times for most U.S. airports. MyTSA remains up and running during a shutdown because the app is based on location services from individual travelers who passed through security already—it can theoretically work on its own even with severe staff shortages. If you don’t already have the app, it’s free and
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
It’s a running joke in the South that how you greet someone can reveal volumes about where you are from. For instance, in Atlanta, they ask, “What do you do for a living?” In Charlotte, they ask, “Where are you from?” In Charleston, it’s “What’s your mother’s maiden name?” and in Savannah, it’s “What are you drinking?”
New York City’s Equinox Hotel is well known for its emphasis on health and well-being. The Hudson Yards’ hotel is conveniently located atop its 60,000 sq. foot namesake gym. The rooms are equipped with yoga mats and a mini bar full of healthy treats. But to truly indulge in an immersive wellness experience, plan on spending some time in the hotel’s fabulous spa, a.k.a., The Spa by Equinox Hotels.
From soaks in therapeutic hot springs to getaways in serene countryside escapes blanketed by fresh air, wellness has traditionally been rooted in nature. But somewhere along the way, self-care made a shift. We ditched outdoor retreats in favor of high-tech treatments, boutique fitness classes, and days spent at luxe spas.
If asked to name my favorite U.S. airport, most days I’d say it was Smith Reynolds, more commonly known as the Winston-Salem airport in North Carolina. What I’m thinking of is not Smith Reynolds as it exists today, but as it was in the latter years of the 20th century, when I had business reasons to visit Winston-Salem on several occasions.
This summer, Norwegian plans to fly from New York to Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Shannon—and for these flights, “New York” means Stewart International Airport (SWF), also called Stewart Field.
Emirates has announced it will reduce service between Dubai and almost half its destinations in the U.S. Flights to Boston, Seattle, and Los Angeles will be reduced from two per day to one, and daily flights to Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale will be reduced to five per week each. The total number of weekly flights cut comes to 25.
“Best airport” rankings aren’t typically the most helpful in terms of travel planning: If I want to go to Boston, I’m not going to head for Las Vegas instead because its airport is better. But those best airport lists do come in handy in two cases—when you have a choice of airport for your connecting flight, and when you can choose between multiple airports within a single metro area.
If you’re planning on visiting any of these destinations, you should read up on how to spot bedbugs in your hotel room (and what to do about it). Pest control company Orkin just released its list of the top cities for bedbugs, using data from both residential and commercial (i.e., vacation rentals and hotels) calls. Orkin noted which destinations had more bedbug outbreaks (Los Angeles, for example, moved up two spots on the list), and which had fewer (good job, New York, dropping four places).