TSA agents continue working at Chattanooga Airport despite federal gridlock preventing their pay
A TSA agent working at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport without pay.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The battle continues inside of the federal government over the funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
This is causing issues at airports nationwide.
Since early February, TSA agents across the country have gone without pay due to a lapse in federal funding.
That includes the agents who work here at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.
With chaos taking over major hubs across the country with multi hour lines, the scene here in Chattanooga looks different.
April Cameron, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport’s President and CEO, says the TSA agents working without pay here in Chattanooga are doing so diligently.
Cameron said, “Luckily for us here in Chattanooga, we have not experienced any of those impacts… so we’ve not had the callouts we’ve not seen long lines you know as a small airport that is one of the things that we sell ourselves on and that is convenience and our TSA work wholeheartedly support us in that effort, providing a convenient customer focused experience.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, Congressional lawmakers were still stuck over disagreements surrounding funding for ICE among other key issues.
This has led to hundreds of TSA agents quitting, and President Trump placing ICE agents in some larger airports like Atlanta.
The head of TSA, Ha Nguyen McNeill said, “But I will say it takes a real human toll to wake up and show up to work every day not knowing how you’re gonna pay your bills.”
Back here in Chattanooga, community members are rallying around the TSA agents.
Cameron said, “We’ve had entities bring out lunch to serve to the employees so that while they’re here they’re able to have a good lunch. We’ve had donations of food and supplies from various entities in the community.”
Community members who want to help out the agents during this time can donate food and gas gift cards of less than $25.
Cameron said, “The agents that are here are supporting our airport. They’re supporting our passengers trying to make it a great experience and they’re not being paid so if you can express your gratitude to them, I think that’s very important.”
She says anyone who wants to donate gift cards to the agents are free to drop them off at the airport’s administrative office which is right next to the security check-in in the main airport lobby.
