TSA Issues 'Warning' to Anyone Who's Planning On Flying Soon

TSA has issued an official "warning" to anyone who's planning on flying soon.

The U.S. Government remains shut down, which is causing major issues at airports across the country. The FAA announced that 40 of the U.S.’s busiest airports are experiencing flight reductions. The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to end the shutdown, though the U.S. House must pass it and President Trump needs to sign it into a law. That could still take several days, unfortunately.

With the U.S. Government remaining out of office, some of the country's busiest airports are experiencing serious problems. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport - the busiest airport in the world - 116 flights had already been canceled as of Tuesday morning, per FOX 5 in Atlanta. More than two dozen flights had been delayed, too.

Flight problems were persistent over the weekend, too, as more than 45,000 flights were delayed and more than 5,000 flights were canceled.

While flights are getting delayed and canceled, problems are persisting just getting into the airport. TSA lines are much longer than usual at most airports, due to staffing shortages. Morale among TSA employees is reportedly quite low.

Morale is “beneath the ground right now. It’s very, very, very low,” one TSA agent told KOIN 6 News.

“I mean, where we’re all struggling to get through this and, you know, some passengers are very understanding, you know, they thank us for being there. And we appreciate such platitudes. But, you know, that only gets us so far when we have families to feed and bills to pay," the TSA agent said.

TSA issues 'warning' to anyone flying soon

Anyone planning on flying soon is being warned by TSA to show up to the airport much earlier than you normally would, perhaps three-plus hours before takeoff time.

Adam Stahl, acting deputy administrator for the Transportation Security Administration, issued an important message to all travelers.

"Despite the shutdown, air travel continues, though delays are possible. TSA's Adam Stahl advises travelers to plan ahead, allow extra time for security, check TSA.gov, & trust officers' dedication to safety," TSA announced on X.

Despite the shutdown, air travel continues, though delays are possible. TSA's Adam Stahl advises travelers to plan ahead, allow extra time for security, check https://t.co/KgIn0yXfsr, & trust officers' dedication to safety. Watch his @NewsNation interview: https://t.co/8MZkdhJkBd

— TSA (@TSA) November 7, 2025

TSA has three "tips" for all travelers right now, too:

1. Pack smart and start with an empty bag. If you start packing with an empty bag, you are less likely to bring prohibited items to the checkpoint. Not sure what’s prohibited? Visit our “What Can I Bring?” webpage.

Know the 3-1-1 liquids rule. Remember, if you can spill it, spray it, spread it, pump it or pour it, then it is a liquid and must be packed in your checked bag. Pack liquids, gels and aerosols larger than 3.4 ounces in a checked bag to avoid having the carry-on bag pulled aside, opened by a Transportation Security Officer (TSO), and then potentially having to voluntarily abandon the item because it is over 3.4 ounces. If you are traveling with an infant, most items in your diaper bag are exempt from TSA’s 3-1-1 rule. Breast milk, powdered formula, baby food, bottles and sippy cups are all allowed to fly in the passenger cabin of the aircraft. This also goes for liquid and cream medications. Please separate these items from your bag and place them into a different bin for X-ray screening. If your item alarms, additional screening may be required. 

2. Arrive early. Travelers are taking to the skies in record numbers, so plan to arrive at least two hours prior to your flight’s scheduled boarding time to allow enough time to park, navigate to the terminal, check luggage with the airline if needed and go through security screening before arriving at your gate. Arrive at least three hours before international flights.

3. Bring an acceptable ID. Before heading to the airport, make sure you have acceptable identification and make it a REAL ID since you must have a REALID-compliant ID to fly by May 7, 2025. Visit the TSA website to learn which IDs are accepted by TSA at the entrance to the security checkpoint. Identity verification is a critical step of the screening process.

***

TSA is hoping that the U.S. Government shutdown will end soon, but in the meantime, travel smarter - and earlier.