NASHVILLE, Tenn — Long TSA lines and delays are, again, being reported at airports across the country during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
At some airports, federal immigration officers have also been deployed to support TSA staffing. But at Nashville International Airport, travelers on Monday described a much smoother experience.
For some passengers at BNA, the biggest wait was not at the security checkpoint, but in the lobby because they had arrived too early to check their bags.
“We thought we could check our bags and go inside and go eat, but no,” said Cinnamon Parrott, who was traveling with her daughter.
The mother-daughter duo from California said they got to the airport early after seeing reports of long lines and delays elsewhere.
“We could’ve hung out and done anything but this for probably another, what, two hours?” Parrott said.
Parrott said they were bracing for the worst after seeing horror stories online from other airports.
“You see the horror stories of people being there for 10 hours in line,” she said. “We were like, we don’t know what it’s going to be like.”
Instead, they found security moving quickly.
“We walked past that and said, ‘Oh, that’s it,’” Parrott said.
Videos of long wait times at major airports, including Atlanta, have left some travelers over-preparing to avoid missing their flights. With TSA agents working without pay during the shutdown, disruptions have been reported at airports across the country.
That uncertainty also prompted members of Prolific Prep, a high school basketball team heading back to Florida after winning a world championship in Kentucky, to get to the airport more than five hours before departure.
“They said if I wasn’t here early, I’d have to walk home,” player Noah Mazzeo said. “I made sure I was here early.”
Coach Jonathan Garcia joked that missing the flight was not an option.
“10-toe train is the next mode of transit if you miss your flight,” Garcia said.
For many travelers at BNA, spending extra time at the airport felt like the better option compared with risking a missed flight.
“Everybody gets so mad in a line, and it’s too much stress and everyone around you,” Parrott said. “And I think everyone hypes everyone up when they’re upset and wait.”
Despite the disruptions elsewhere, Parrott said she is grateful TSA agents are still showing up to work.
“We could be going nowhere and have no TSA at all, so the fact they show up is amazing,” she said.
Travelers can check estimated TSA wait times on BNA’s website. The airport still recommends arriving two to three hours before departure.
This story was reported by reporter Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Aaron and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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