Travelers at PHL see signs of improvement as government reopens

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- TSA agents are back at work at Philadelphia International Airport after the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, but two security checkpoints remain closed.

Despite the closures, travelers on Wednesday reported that lines were moving smoothly and flights were largely on schedule.

According to FlightAware, more than 30 flights were delayed and 18 were canceled at PHL on Wednesday, though that number is expected to drop to eight on Thursday, a sign that operations are slowly returning to normal.

Travelers arriving at PHL said they were relieved to find a calmer scene than they had anticipated.

"Honestly, it was a breeze, and I was expecting the worst," said Tiara Francis of Washington, D.C., who flew in early for her wedding. "We went through security in 10 minutes. We departed early and landed early today, so I was really happy about that."

Francis said she changed her flight to an earlier time amid uncertainty during the shutdown.

"I was scheduled to fly out later this evening, but because of the shutdown and everything, I wasn't sure if I'd make my flight, so I just moved it up to leave first thing this morning," she said. "Hopefully, it's the beginning of the turnaround after they have reopened the government."

Across the country, air travel disruptions lingered Thursday, with more than 1,000 flights canceled and another 1,500 delayed, according to FlightAware.

At PHL, some travelers said they took extra precautions to avoid being stranded.

"We were planning to be here hours before, just in case," said Morgan Jost of Williamstown, New Jersey. "We've all been watching the flight nonstop, making sure we're not delayed or anything. So far so good - fingers crossed!"

Others tried to stay positive despite the uncertainty.

Freddy Rochester of South Philadelphia, who was flying to Florida with his wife, said they arrived early but were determined to enjoy their vacation.

"Throw caution to the wind," Rochester said. "Optimistic. Let it go with the flow."

For Sophia Anastasio of Washington Township, New Jersey, patience paid off.

"I kept looking, looking, looking, then we were fine. We got lucky," she said.

Officials cautioned that it could take up to a week for airport operations nationwide to fully stabilize. At PHL, TSA checkpoints at Terminals A and F remain closed due to staffing levels, and it's unclear when they will reopen.

Still, travelers are hopeful the situation will continue to improve, especially with the busy Thanksgiving travel period just around the corner.

"We're worried about our flight home," Jost said. "We come home really late on Sunday, we're supposed to land at like 11:59 p.m."

Hopefully, we aren't delayed then either."