SEATTLE — Travelers faced a combination of weather delays, international safety concerns, and a partial government shutdown that caused significant confusion at airports over the weekend and on Monday morning at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
The federal shutdown led to conflicting reports regarding the status of TSA Precheck and Global Entry, two programs used by millions of passengers to expedite security screenings. The Department of Homeland Security initially indicated it would suspend both, but then appeared to reverse the decision over the weekend.
As of Monday, TSA Precheck remained operational while Global Entry was suspended, leaving travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and other hubs across the country uncertain about their security screening options to get to their flights.
Early Monday morning staff at the checkpoint 6 at SEA appeared to turn some travelers away due to the volume of people at that checkpoint for TSA Precheck. It added to the confusion for those who believed the expedited screening program may have already been suspended.
Adam Dyes, a traveler who uses both TSA Precheck and Clear, expressed uncertainty while navigating the airport lines. He noted that the conflicting reports about whether the services were active made it difficult to plan his trip.
“It was very confusing, and it sounds like I should be able to go through with pre-check, but I’m not totally sure,” Dyes said. He also faced a “double whammy” of disruptions as winter weather led to flight cancellations. He was attempting to reach Burlington, Vt. but American Airlines canceled the second leg of his trip on Sunday. He was rerouted through Philadelphia on an Alaska Airlines flight.
“Alaska is getting me to Philly today at least,” Dyes said. “And then I’ll stay the night and get on the flight tomorrow morning hopefully.”
The TSA Precheck program has grown to include more than 20 million users who pay approximately $15 per year for the service. The recent uncertainty regarding its status left some travelers feeling that they were not receiving the benefits of the privilege they paid for.
Jill, a traveler who gave only her first name to KIRO 7 this morning, says she arrived early at the airport to check if the security lines were functioning. She admitted she felt there was little she could do about the administrative confusion.
“I think I don’t have a lot of power over it right now. So I come and do my best,” she said.
The partial government shutdown began Feb. 14, 2026. The funding lapse occurred after Congress failed to reach an agreement to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security amid opposition by some lawmakers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations across the United States. The status of Global Entry remains suspended while the partial government shutdown continues.