LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3) -- Sequestration cuts are being felt at McCarran International Airport.
More than 220 local FAA employees received notices that they will be forced to take 11 unpaid days off, which means fewer workers on the job and fewer flights departing.
Other departments such as the TSA and Customs also could see some changes.
According to Customs and Border Protection officials, international travelers could wait up to 50 percent longer -- that means four hours.
Transportation Security Officer Jerome Coleman says no matter what, they still have a job to do.
All cuts are expected to go into effect in three weeks.
If you travel often overseas, some officials recommend getting a $100 Global Entry Card, which lets you check in at a special place and bypass those lines.
Transportation Security Administration issued the following statement regarding the cuts:
"As sequestration takes effect, travelers can expect to see lines and wait times increase as reductions to overtime and the inability to backfill positions for attrition begin to occur this month. While wait times can vary on a number of factors, due to the reductions mandated by sequestration, TSA will put in place a hiring freeze, which will result in up to an additional 1,000 TSO vacancies by Memorial Day Weekend and up to 2,600 vacancies by the end of the fiscal year. With TSA staffing levels decreasing over time, we expect that during busy travel periods wait times exceeding 30-40 minutes could double at nearly all of the largest airports. In addition, passengers who schedule their travel outside of peak flight schedules and plan to arrive close to their scheduled flight time may see their wait times now reach 30 minutes or more."
