Minimal wait times reported at Atlanta airport on Friday afternoon
TSA lines plunge to 3 minutes at ATL
Hartsfield-Jackson security lines have dropped to mere minutes as TSA agents prepare to receive back pay following the record-breaking government shutdown.
ATLANTA - Security lines at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are moving quickly again, a major turnaround from the long delays travelers faced just days ago.
PREVIOUS STORY: ATL braces for spring travel surge, near-record passenger day
What we know:
As of early Friday morning, wait times at the main security checkpoint were only a matter of minutes, with additional staffing — including assistance from federal agents — helping keep lines moving. The improvement comes after hours-long backups last week tied to staffing shortages during the partial government shutdown.
Busy day expected at Atlanta airport
It's expected to be a busy day at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with spring break travel underway for many. Many travelers are hoping not to encounter long lines that were very much an issue just a week or so ago. Kim Leoffler reporting.
Airport officials expect Friday to be one of the busiest travel days of the month, with more than 94,000 passengers projected to pass through security. Despite the improvements, many travelers are still arriving early out of caution following last week’s disruptions.
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Officials say wait times could increase later in the day as families begin traveling for spring break, but passengers can now check real-time security wait times online — a feature that was temporarily unavailable during the height of the delays.
A check of the wait times around noon revealed that they were well under 5 minutes at both the main and north checkpoints.
Passengers arriving prepared at Atlanta airport
Things were still flowing smoothly early Friday afternoon at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Many passengers are still arriving extra early though just in case.
What they're saying:
Alicia and Journey Champion showed up to Hartsfield-Jackson four hours before their scheduled flight. "I just wanted to cover my bases and get here early, especially with her," Alicia said as she pointed to five year old Journey. In preparation for their trip, Alicia was tracking security wait times in recent days and says she was expecting chaos. "I was debating on driving to DC because I was fearful of standing in line for 4-5 hours with a five year old," Alicia told FOX 5.
Dee Bates was also pleasantly surprised by the two minute wait at the main security checkpoint. Bates and her family arrived nearly five hours before their flight to Newark. "It's going to cost me a could of dollars," she joked of her impending wait beyond security.
As travelers question how to time their airport arrival, some, like Barbara Reyes, express frustration with a Congress who has yet to fund the Department of Homeland Security. "I felt really bad for our agents. The fact that they were not getting paid, the fact that they were expected to show up on time every single day without a paycheck while their families are suffering at home... This is not what America is about," Reyes said.