Long Wait At Newark Airport During Shutdown? Fake News, TSA Says

NEWARK, NJ — As the federal shutdown enters its third week, airport workers across the nation – including Newark – have officially joined thousands of government employees working without paychecks. But is the shutdown affecting service at Newark Airport?

It may depend on who you believe more… government spokespeople or social media.

Earlier this week, four top lawmakers in New Jersey paid a visit to Newark Liberty International Airport with a grave warning: the people in charge of your safety aren’t being paid.

Praising the hard work and community spirit of the affected airport employees – which include TSA agents, air traffic controllers and customs inspectors – U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker joined with U.S. Representatives Albio Sires and Donald Payne Jr. to demand an end to the shutdown.

The affected workers at Newark Airport are among 5,000 federal government employees in New Jersey who are going without pay as a result of the shutdown, the Democratic leaders said.

One of those working without compensation at Newark Airport includes air traffic controller William Striffler, who shared an image of a paystub that read “$0.00,” CNN reported.

Since the shutdown began, many travelers passing through Newark Airport have reported long security lines and a visible lack of TSA agents. One person reported hearing Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” blaring over the speakers at JFK Airport in NYC.

“Similar vibes at Newark Liberty,” another person replied. “Not mad at it.”

"TSA workers at #EWR half-jokingly asking for canned food donations so they can feed their families," another commuter wrote. "This gov shutdown over the GOP’s need to waste taxpayer money is [expletive] ridiculous."

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However, TSA spokesperson Michael Billelo has challenged what he called “anecdotal” reports that paint an inaccurate picture of agents abandoning their posts and excruciatingly long security lines.

“TSA data shows approximately a 1 percentage point uptick in call-out rates compared to this time last year,” Billelo wrote as part of a long series of Twitter posts about the shutdown. “This statistic does not comport with the unofficial and anecdotal narrative others have been providing to media outlets.”

Across the nation, airports have been seeing minimal wait times in security lines, Billelo said.

On Jan. 9, Billelo shared some data from Newark Airport in an effort to prove his point, claiming that standard screening passengers waited “a maximum of 25 minutes” and TSA precheck passengers waited only eight minutes the previous day.

Regardless of the wait times, many travelers said that they understood the frustration and difficult working environment that federal workers are facing during the shutdown.

“Giving praise to TSA personnel at Newark Airport Terminal A this morning who did a terrific job despite being screwed by the idiot-in-chief,” one commuter wrote on Twitter. “The officers were friendly, calm, helpful and patient. As we went through, we thanked them all for being true professionals and showing up."

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Photo: Port Authority of NY/NJ