North Carolina TSA officers return after weeks of unpaid shutdown chaos
TSA officers in North Carolina will return to work after weeks of unpaid service during the partial government shutdown. The shutdown began on February 14, 2023, leaving thousands of agents without pay. Now, with back pay confirmed, operations at major airports are expected to stabilise. The shutdown caused widespread disruption at the state's busiest airports. From March 10 to 12, Charlotte Douglas International recorded 18 cancellations and 744 delays. Raleigh-Durham International saw 20 cancellations and 239 delays, while Piedmont Triad International had 6 cancellations and 39 delays.
Local efforts to support unpaid TSA workers have now ended. Charlotte Douglas stopped its gift card donation drive on Monday, March 13, and Raleigh-Durham followed a day earlier. Federal law bans gifts over $20 for government employees, forcing both airports to halt collections.
Meanwhile, ICE agents will remain available to assist at airports, as confirmed by Tom Homan, White House border czar and interim ICE director. TSA staff will receive retroactive pay by Monday or Tuesday, covering wages lost since February 14. The return of TSA officers should ease travel delays across North Carolina. With back pay processed and donation drives closed, airport operations are set to resume normal schedules. The shutdown's impact on staffing levels, however, remains unclear as no updated figures have been released.
