TAMPA, Fla. — Spring break travelers at Tampa International Airport are navigating a complex mix of challenges, including TSA shortages from a partial government shutdown, the deployment of ICE agents to some airports, and rising fuel prices tied to conflict in the Middle East.
Since March 5, the airport has estimated about 1.3 million passengers have passed through its doors.
WATCH: Partial government shutdown and Middle East conflict create new challenges for airport travelers
A partial government shutdown is keeping TSA workers from receiving paychecks. The lack of payment has led some TSA workers to stay home, causing longer security lines at airports in Atlanta, Houston, and New York City.
A spokesperson with Tampa International Airport said the facility is not experiencing any "unmanageable delays" at its security screening checkpoints. The airport is also working with Feeding Tampa Bay to help provide food for federal employees.
YouTuber Benny Johnson and local pastor Joe Harris visited the airport to thank the workers by buying them Chick-fil-A sandwiches.
"It should be illegal to defund infrastructure in our country for political purposes, Republican or Democrat, you should not be allowed to do that. People's lives are at risk," Johnson said.
Because of the potential delays, people are planning ahead and arriving at the airport well in advance. Ashok Amin traveled from Columbus, Ohio, to Tampa.
"Normally, I leave around 4:30 in the morning for this flight, so I left a little bit earlier, and to my surprise, the lines weren't that bad," Amin said. "I was afraid that, you know, I might miss my flight, but that wasn’t the case."
President Trump said he is having ICE agents go to airports to help fill the gap, causing delays at some locations. While Tampa is not among them, the airport in Fort Myers is reportedly among 14 airports across the nation where ICE agents are being deployed.
The deployment is concerning some travelers, including Andy Mosney, who was traveling back to Sacramento, California.
"From my perspective, it's completely a political move, and I'm concerned because the ICE agents really weren't trained to do the job they were supposed to be originally doing, and now they're going to be asked to do another job that they have no training on. And again, if you're not a white American, these these are scary times," Mosney said.
Others, like Pastor Harris, said he believes ICE agents will help alleviate the long lines at security checkpoints.
"I mean, they need help. So anything that speeds up the process and helps them out, I think it's good," Harris said.
On top of security concerns, fuel prices are rising due to the conflict in the Middle East involving Iran.
Abby Hall is an associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa. She said anytime there is a conflict in Iran, oil prices go up, especially as it relates to the Strait of Hormuz.
"Oil markets are really sensitive, and they're also forward-looking. So anytime you have a threat of destabilization, there's going to be built in a risk premium into current fuel prices," Hall said. "About 20% of the world's global oil supply passes through this strait, so any potential disruption, or actual disruption, is going to have very, very clear implications for oil prices."
The rising fuel costs are causing some airlines to cancel flights. Over the weekend, United Airlines announced it is canceling some future flights.
"I've got a United flight booked in May to come from Sacramento to Philadelphia, so we'll see what happens by then," Mosney said.
And with the tragedy at LaGuardia Airport in New York, many travelers said their hearts go out to the people who were injured. TPA said seven flights to LGA were cancelled because of this incident.
As you travel, airport officials advise you to stay in touch with your airline for potential changes and to come even earlier for your flights.
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