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Winter Storm, Shutdown and Cartel Violence Combine to Cripple U.S. Air Travel

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  • TSA says PreCheck still operational after previous announcement of suspension during funding fight
    TSA says PreCheck still operational after previous announcement of suspension during funding fight
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    TSA says PreCheck still operational after previous announcement of suspension during funding fight (Credit: via ap) Source Full size
  • U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
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    Image: AP
    Source Full size
  • None
    None
    Image: AP
    Source Full size
  • U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • People enter a Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
    People enter a Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    People enter a Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Security lines, including TSA PreCheck, at normal volume for the day and time at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s (CLT) departures level on the morning of November 9, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    Security lines, including TSA PreCheck, at normal volume for the day and time at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s (CLT) departures level on the morning of November 9, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    Image: Newsweek
    Security lines, including TSA PreCheck, at normal volume for the day and time at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s (CLT) departures level on the morning of November 9, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Source Full size
  • Security lines, including TSA PreCheck, at normal volume for the day and time at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s (CLT) departures level on the morning of November 9, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    Security lines, including TSA PreCheck, at normal volume for the day and time at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s (CLT) departures level on the morning of November 9, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    Image: Newsweek
    Security lines, including TSA PreCheck, at normal volume for the day and time at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport’s (CLT) departures level on the morning of November 9, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Source Full size
  • None
    None
    Image: AP
    Source Full size
  • None
    None
    Image: AP
    Source Full size
  • U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • People enter a Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
    People enter a Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    People enter a Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, shakes hands with Transportation Security Administration Officer Monica Degro. (Credit: AP) Source Full size

East‑Coast Blizzard Forces Massive Flight Cancellations major winter storm swept the Northeast on Feb 24, prompting airlines to cancel roughly 5,600 flights and delay over 3,000, with nine‑out‑of‑ten departures at JFK, LaGuardia and Boston Logan scrubbed [1][3][4][5][6][7]. The blizzard also halted operations at smaller fields such as T.F. Green International in Rhode Island [1]. Airlines including Delta, United, American, Air Canada and AeroMexico announced refunds and fee‑free rebooking to accommodate stranded passengers [1].

Partial Government Shutdown Suspends Global Entry, Keeps PreCheck Open The DHS shutdown that began Feb 14 over a funding deadlock tied to immigration policy led to an immediate suspension of the Global Entry trusted‑traveler program, a move confirmed by DHS, TSA and multiple news outlets [1][3][4][5][6][8][9][10]. DHS later reversed its decision on PreCheck, allowing the expedited security lane to remain operational while Global Entry stays offline [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. The shutdown also halted the Global Entry program for inbound international travelers at Sea‑Tac and other airports, leaving customs lines longer—travelers reported 30‑minute waits versus the usual sub‑five‑minute clearance [1][3][4][5][6][7].

TSA Agents Work Unpaid, Staffing Gaps Threaten Service Levels During the shutdown, roughly 63,000 essential TSA employees continued working without pay, raising concerns about staffing shortages and potential case‑by‑case suspension of PreCheck at some locations [1][2][7][9][10]. Sea‑Tac officials noted that while PreCheck remained active, limited staff could affect service, prompting the agency to monitor federal guidance closely [2]. Industry groups praised DHS for keeping PreCheck alive but condemned the Global Entry suspension as a political weapon that endangers travelers [1][3][4][5][6][8][9].

Cartel Leader’s Killing Triggers Violence and Mexican Flight Reductions The Sunday killing of cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes in Jalisco sparked retaliatory attacks, a statewide transport suspension and U.S. State Department travel advisories [1]. Airlines responded by canceling or scaling back flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, and Mexican authorities warned of heightened security risks for travelers [1]. The combined impact of the storm, shutdown and cartel violence created unprecedented disruption across U.S. and Mexican air routes [1].

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Timeline

Oct 1 – Nov 12, 2025 – The United States endures a 43‑day full federal shutdown, yet TSA PreCheck and Global Entry continue operating, showing that trusted‑traveler programs can survive broader funding gaps[6][10].

Feb 14, 2026 – A partial government shutdown begins, affecting only Department of Homeland Security agencies (TSA, Coast Guard, ICE, CBP) after Democrats and the White House fail to reach a funding deal tied to immigration policy changes[6][10].

Feb 22, 2026 (06:00 ET) – DHS announces that TSA PreCheck and Global Entry will be suspended at 6 a.m. ET, citing staffing constraints from the shutdown; Secretary Kristi Noem warns the move “endangers our national security” and calls the suspension “tough but necessary”[6][10].

Feb 22, 2026 – DHS Secretary Noem states the shutdown forces TSA and CBP to suspend “courtesy and special privilege escorts,” describing the action as a security‑risk mitigation measure[6][10].

Feb 22, 2026 – House Democrats post on X that DHS is “kneecapping” PreCheck and Global Entry, accusing the agency of “ruining your travel on purpose”[2].

Feb 22, 2026 – FEMA pauses all non‑disaster response work to reallocate resources for the forecasted winter storm hitting the Mid‑Atlantic and Northeast[6][10].

Feb 22, 2026 (Sunday) – A major winter storm sweeps the East Coast, prompting airlines to cancel nine out of ten flights at JFK, LaGuardia and Boston Logan for the following day and causing widespread delays and cancellations across the Northeast corridor[4][5].

Feb 22, 2026 (Sunday) – Mexican cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes is killed in Jalisco, sparking retaliatory attacks, a statewide transport suspension, and U.S. State Department travel advisories that lead airlines to scale back service to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara[3].

Feb 22, 2026 – DHS reverses its earlier decision and keeps TSA PreCheck lanes open at Reagan and Dulles airports, announcing a case‑by‑case evaluation of operations as staffing shifts continue[1].

Feb 22, 2026 – TSA confirms PreCheck remains operational while Global Entry stays suspended, noting that limited staff could affect service and that essential TSA agents continue working without pay[1][5].

Feb 22, 2026 – Congressional courtesy‑escort service for members of Congress is suspended, with DHS saying the service diverts staff from core passenger‑screening missions[1].

Feb 22, 2026 – Travelers such as Dallas resident Blair Perkins report a 30‑minute customs wait without Global Entry, far longer than the typical sub‑five‑minute clearance, and describe the shutdown as “using travelers as a pawn”[4][8].

Feb 23, 2026 – At Seattle‑Tacoma International Airport, staff receive a notice at 5:45 a.m. that PreCheck will be unavailable, but the decision is reversed within an hour, keeping the program active while Global Entry remains offline[7].

Feb 23, 2026 – The U.S. Travel Association’s Geoff Freeman praises DHS for preserving PreCheck, while Airlines for America and House Homeland Security Committee Democrats condemn the Global Entry suspension as a political weapon that endangers travelers[4][8].

Feb 24, 2026 – Over 5,600 flights are canceled and more than 3,000 delayed nationwide due to the combined impact of the winter storm and the shutdown‑induced Global Entry suspension, prompting airlines to offer refunds and flexible rebooking options[3].

Feb 24, 2026 (future) – DHS says it will continue to evaluate PreCheck operations case‑by‑case and urges Congress to approve DHS funding to restore full trusted‑traveler services[1].

Feb 24, 2026 (future) – Travelers are advised to arrive early, pack compliant items, and expect possible delays at smaller airports as TSA officers work unpaid and staffing gaps persist[10].

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