Widespread reports of massive security delays and missed connections at American airports have prompted anxious travelers to arrive hours ahead of their flights. However, several airports experiencing normal operations are now asking passengers to dial back their early arrivals.
John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio, reports that overly cautious passengers — responding to congressional funding disputes that have created security checkpoint crowding — are actually worsening conditions by causing congestion during busy periods.
“Arriving too early can actually create longer lines right when we open,” the airport said in a social media post Thursday. “Spacing out arrival times helps keep things moving smoothly for everyone.”
The facility has published guidelines recommending passengers arrive just “90 minutes before departure is all you need.”
The challenge for air travelers is the unpredictability of which airports will experience severe security delays next.
A government shutdown affecting Transportation Security Administration personnel has extended checkpoint waiting periods to over two hours at several major facilities. Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport has emerged as the most problematic location, with security waits reaching four hours.
These represent extreme situations. Numerous airports — including the Ohio facility — continue experiencing typical waiting periods. Airlines recommend passengers verify TSA delay information before heading to their departure airport.
The situation bears similarities to the “panic buying” behavior witnessed during early 2020 COVID-19 restrictions.
“It’s human nature. You don’t have control over what’s going on at an airport,” said Shari Botwin, a Philadelphia clinical social worker who counsels people about anxiety.
“There’s so much media attention about the chaos at airports,” she said. “They might not trust when someone says, ‘Well, you don’t need to come out early anymore.’”
