Never-ending pre-dawn TSA line seen snaking outside busy California airport

A security line was seen snaking outside San Diego International Airport in the pre-dawn hours Wednesday as travelers continue to face excruciating wait times over a TSA staffing shortage.

A photo shared by ex-Congressman Matt Gaetz appeared to show frustrated passengers piled up outside the airport.

“San Diego Airport this morning. Over bridge. Out door. Down sidewalk to end of airport. Looped back. Nobody is making flights,” Gaetz wrote on X. Thank you, @SenSchumer. This was a totally rational response to being mad at ICE.”

The airport, which offers flights to over 80 international destinations and nearly all major domestic cities, issued an advisory on its website Wednesday morning telling travelers “to arrive at least 2.5 hours before their flight.”

“Checkpoint wait times and flight scheduling are subject to the operations of our federal and airline partners. These operations are, at times, affected by the federal government shutdown,” the notice read.

The normal rule of thumb is for travelers to arrive 1.5 hours before a domestic flight and three hours prior to an international flight.

Video obtained by The Post on Tuesday showed hundreds of passengers stuck in standstill lines inside the San Diego airport.

President Trump deployed ICE agents to major terminals across the country to fill gaps left by TSA agents amid a partial government shutdown. No California airports were part of the list of 14 major hubs with ICE presence.

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