ATLANTA ? Spring break travel across the United States buckled under the pressure of a partial Homeland Security shutdown in March as unpaid TSA officers resigned, called out and left airport checkpoints increasingly understaffed.

In its report from major U.S. airports, The Associated Press said at least 376 TSA officers had quit since the shutdown began on February 14, worsening shortages at an agency that already struggled with low morale and high turnover.

The traveler experience deteriorated alongside the staffing crunch. AP's follow-up from airport terminals said passengers in cities such as Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas reported hours-long waits and argued that the clearest fix was simply to pay the officers still showing up.

The shutdown also made storm-related disruptions harder to absorb. AP's March 17 travel report said thousands of cancellations and delays were amplified by reduced checkpoint staffing, especially at major hubs already hit by bad weather.

By late March, the airport strain had become one of the most visible public consequences of the Washington funding fight, turning a partisan standoff into a daily operational crisis for travelers and screeners alike.