Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lines continue to face delays at airports across the country, including in our area, such as John F. Kennedy Airport. While some passengers opted to arrive extra early, it has not helped the timing issue on the other side of the aisle. “I’ve b een really scared the whole week, looking on TikTok and Instagram and just seeing all the lines,” traveler Lara Atasoya told News 4. “And I was thinking, how am I going to get home?” Atasoya is part of a group of travelers looking to get back to Sweden. Looking to play it safe, they arrived at Kennedy Airport nearly five hours before their flight, and while TSA lines weren’t long at the time, they were so early that the airline counter wasn’t yet open to start the check-in process. “We didn’t want to be stuck on the lines, so we thought we should come here earlier,” she said. Connecticut resident Pamela Kelly also looked to avoid the lines by showing up five hours early for her flight ot Italy. “[I’m] a little frsutrated being sent mixed messages to get here early, but when we do, we can’t do anything for a few more hours,” Kelly told News 4. “It’s a very, very long day for everybody.” TSA officers have gone weeks without pay due to the partial government shutdown, leading to an alarming rate of call-outs for the agency. On average, TSA saw nearly 11% of its employees call out on Monday. At JFK, the number was closer to 34%, while LaGuardia saw 20% of staff call out. President Donald Trump sent ICE officers to several airports, including JFK, to assist TSA agents. In a statement, the Port Authority said, “We expect that the staff assigned to assist in passenger processing functions will be properly trained and focused on supporting inspection operations.” ...read more read less