Imagine you are standing in an airport security line, already halfway through the ritual of shedding your shoes, your belt, and your remaining shreds of dignity. Now, imagine the person behind the X-ray machine suddenly decides that "working for the love of the game" isn't a sustainable financial strategy. According to this report, the Department of Homeland Security is currently checking its couch cushions for spare change, and the TSA staff are deciding that patrolling for prohibited liquids for zero dollars an hour is a hard pass.
The situation is apparently "accelerating," which is a fancy way of saying that TSA agents are sprinting toward the exit faster than a traveler who just realized they left their passport in the Uber. If the agency runs out of money in a matter of days, the airport security experience is going to shift from a minor inconvenience to a full-blown survivalist retreat. We are looking at lines so long they might actually develop their own zip codes and local governments before you even reach the body scanner.
Usually, we complain about the TSA being a bit too thorough with our carry-ons, but soon we might be nostalgic for the days when someone cared enough to yell at us about a three-ounce bottle of shampoo. If the exodus continues, you might find yourself in a self-service security situation where you just have to look into a mirror, promise yourself you aren't a threat, and pinky-swear that your knitting needles aren't a national security risk. It turns out that patriotic duty only goes so far when you have a mortgage to pay and the government is essentially ghosting your paycheck.
So, if you are planning to fly anytime soon, you might want to arrive at the airport roughly three to five business days before your flight. Pack a folding chair, a thick book, and perhaps a small tent. Unless Congress decides to actually fund the people who make sure your seatmate isn't traveling with a collection of antique swords, your next trip through the terminal might be the longest vacation you ever take—and you won't even have left the ground yet.
