Regional airports feeling little impact so far from TSA staffing shortages

COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – As a partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enters its sixth week, air travelers in Michigan and Indiana are facing increasingly unpredictable security wait times due to mounting TSA staffing shortages.

While major hubs like Atlanta and Houston have seen lines exceeding four hours, Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) has remained surprisingly resilient, with wait times often hovering under 20 minutes.

Nevertheless, Detroit travelers are being warned to plan for longer, less predictable lines as more TSA officers miss second paychecks and call-out rates nationwide hit a record high of nearly 12%.
Smaller regional airports in the area are also bracing for impact as federal funding remains stalled. At Gerald R. Ford International Airport  in Grand Rapids, officials report that operations have remained normal for now, but they are urging passengers to arrive at least two hours early as the spring break travel rush intensifies.

Similarly, travelers at Fort Wayne International Airport are feeling the strain of the national crisis; though not currently slated for the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents being sent to larger hubs to bolster security, local officials warn that continued staffing gaps could eventually lead to checkpoint closures or severe delays in both Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne.