By Danielle Ngamegni
During spring break, some University of Maryland students faced chaos from extended lines and delays, while others experienced a normal flight routine.
An ongoing partial government shutdown has been in effect since Feb. 14, when Congress reached an impasse on immigration enforcement reforms through the Department of Homeland Security.
Until March 30, TSA agents were not receiving pay, and many had resorted to desperate measures to stay afloat. According to NBC News, TSA agents have taken on side jobs, donating plasma and blood or begging family and friends for money.
Also, as a result of not getting paid, there were a significant number of agents quitting and long lines at airport gates, according to the BBC.
Sophomore psychology major Arielle Schmeidler traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over spring break. Schneider said that the airport’s shortage of workers is one of the worst in the country, as multiple of her friends’ flights were either cancelled or delayed up to five times.
“We got to the airport, like maybe seven or eight hours before our flight,” Schmeidler said.
Across the country, some airports warn travelers to arrive hours in advance because it could lead to longer lines, according to the Associated Press.
Chinemerem Chima, a freshman public health science major, traveled to Nigeria over spring break to visit family and friends. Chima and her family had a delayed flight and saw long lines at European Airlines. Despite that, they were able to secure business class, allowing them to wait in a separate line.
While some students experienced delays, others encountered few to no obstacles while traveling.
Junior psychology major Meghan Kerr spent her break in Italy, flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport. She said she arrived early and took a train to the Italian airport without any hindrances.
“We got through security pretty quickly,” Kerr said. “We did, like customs, pre-check, so we didn’t have to wait in the line.”
TSA PreCheck is a program that allows travelers to go through a faster security screening process.
Swetha Saravanakumar, a master’s student in biotechnology, said that she visited California to see her relatives. Flying from Washington Dulles International Airport, she arrived two hours early and did not experience delays or issues with TSA.
This isn’t the first time a shutdown has affected air travel. Stories Beneath the Shell previously reported the last government shutdown on Oct. 1, 2025 worried students’ holiday plans as they saw massive flight cuts from the Federal Aviation Administration. The shutdown ended 43 days later, on Nov. 14, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history at the time.
The current shutdown has surpassed that record and reached 53 days as of April 6.
Featured Image: The screen of the MARC Train ticket kiosk at the College Park MARC station on the evening of April 4, 2026. Photo by Anika Stikeleather.