JFK suspends wait time reporting amid DHS shutdown

John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport suspended its wait time reporting on Monday as the partial government shutdown is resulting in long lines for passengers going through security at multiple airports. 

The popular travel hub warned its travelers that the wait time estimations posted online were no longer sufficiently reliable and that the public should allow “significantly more time” to make their flights.

“Due to the federal funding lapse, security wait times may be significantly longer than normal. Wait times are subject to rapid change based on passenger volumes and TSA staffing,” JFK airport said in a statement on the social platform X.

“For these reasons, wait time reporting has been temporarily suspended. Please allow for significantly more time and check with your airline for the current status of your flight,” the statement continued. 

The delays come as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are required to work without pay after a funding lapse for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Fewer employees are showing up, straining operations at airports. 

Reports this weekend showed lines at JFK snaking through terminals and into parking lots.

Nearby LaGuardia Airport closed Monday morning after a runway crash between an Air Canada flight and a fire truck killed two pilots, adding to the travel delays and flight cancellations already plaguing the air hubs. Newark Airport, a third New York City-area hub, also prompted a brief ground stop after an air traffic control tower was evacuated because of smoke.

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