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Federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are among those who’ve been working without pay since the end of January, when Congress failed to complete work on a spending package that would have prevented funds for multiple departments from running out.
The result for many travelers has been longer-than-usual security lines. But that doesn’t appear to be the case at West Virginia airports.
“Across the country? Yes, at CRW, no, we have not seen any impacts with longer wait times at all,” said Paige Withrow, spokesperson for Charleston’s International Yeager Airport. “What we are telling passengers, if they are traveling back through another airport, is make sure that you’re checking with that airport ahead of time, whether it’s on their website or their social media, to see what those wait times are, because you might need to arrive earlier than normal.”
None of the airports in West Virginia appears to be experiencing staffing shortages either.
“They’re coming to work and doing their jobs just like they always do,” said North Central West Virginia Airport Authority Director Rick Rock. “We’ve been collecting gift cards and just this week started a food pantry for them.”
Needed supplies include pet food, cleaning materials, diapers, and non-perishable foods.