CHICAGO — Travelers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport faced moderate to extended security lines Tuesday, March 24, 2026, with average TSA wait times hovering between 20 and 35 minutes at many checkpoints, though some peaks reached 40-60 minutes during morning and midday rushes as the partial federal government shutdown continues to strain staffing during peak spring break travel.
A Frontier Airlines Airbus A320neo plane departs from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago
O’Hare, one of the nation’s busiest hubs handling more than 80 million passengers annually, does not maintain an official real-time TSA wait time dashboard on its flychicago.com site. Airport officials have instead issued broad advisories urging passengers to allow significantly more time than usual for security screening amid ongoing Department of Homeland Security funding issues.
Third-party trackers and traveler reports painted a variable picture Tuesday. Aggregators showed current standard security waits averaging around 25-26 minutes, with some checkpoints reporting as low as 5-10 minutes in off-peak overnight hours and climbing to 30-45 minutes during busier periods. TSA PreCheck lanes generally moved faster, often clearing in 5-15 minutes when open, though they too experienced occasional backups.
The partial government shutdown, now in its sixth week, has prompted elevated TSA call-out rates as officers work without guaranteed paychecks. Nationwide absenteeism has fluctuated, with some shifts seeing 10-30 percent or more officers absent. At O’Hare, lines were noticeably longer over the weekend, with reports of waits approaching two hours at certain international checkpoints, though conditions appeared somewhat steadier by Tuesday afternoon as volumes eased.
Chicago Department of Aviation officials have warned that passengers “may experience longer-than-usual wait times” due to the combination of spring break crowds and staffing challenges. More than 3.7 million travelers are expected to pass through O’Hare and Midway during the spring break period, with O’Hare projecting a 13 percent increase over last year on some days.
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President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist at major airports, including O’Hare, began taking effect Monday. ICE officers were spotted in Terminal 3 and other areas, helping with crowd management and flow rather than direct screening. Their presence has drawn mixed reactions from travelers, with some expressing unease while others appreciated any additional support to ease bottlenecks.
Local media and social media posts Tuesday described scenes of manageable but slower-moving lines at most domestic checkpoints in Terminals 1, 2 and 3. International Terminal 5 sometimes saw heavier traffic due to additional screening requirements. One traveler reported clearing Terminal 1 PreCheck in about 7 minutes midday, while standard lanes in Terminal 3 averaged closer to 25-30 minutes during the lunch hour.
Unlike harder-hit airports such as Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, where lines have stretched for hours and official trackers were suspended, O’Hare has avoided the most extreme backups so far. However, aviation experts note that even moderate delays can cascade quickly in a hub like ORD, where tight connections are common.
Practical advice from the Chicago Department of Aviation and airlines remains consistent: Arrive at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures. Many travelers and experts recommend adding an extra hour buffer during the current conditions, especially for families or those with checked baggage.
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TSA PreCheck and CLEAR expedited lanes continue to offer significant time savings for enrolled members. PreCheck checkpoints were open across terminals, with hours varying by location — some opening as early as 3:15 a.m. and closing in the evening. CLEAR enrollment and lanes are available in Terminals 1, 2 and 5.
Community support efforts have emerged to assist TSA officers facing financial hardship. Travelers and local groups have donated gift cards for food and gas, with some passengers handing them directly to officers at checkpoints.
For those flying out of O’Hare today, tips to minimize delays include:
– Check third-party trackers or the MyTSA app before leaving home, though data may be less reliable during the shutdown. – Pack liquids in a quart-sized bag and remove laptops and large electronics early. – Wear slip-on shoes and limit metal items to speed screening. – Use the CTA Blue Line or other public transit to avoid roadway congestion around the airport. – Monitor airline apps for gate changes and connection times. – Consider the airport’s multiple checkpoints — moving between terminals is possible but adds time.
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O’Hare’s layout, with four main terminals connected by walkways and the ATS people-mover system, helps distribute crowds after security. However, the initial checkpoints remain the primary potential choke point.
Flight operations continue normally, with average delays under 15 minutes reported early Tuesday according to airport data. No widespread cancellations tied directly to security lines were noted, though individual missed connections remain a risk for tight schedules.
The ongoing shutdown has drawn criticism from travel industry groups and unions, who warn of broader economic impacts if the impasse continues into peak summer travel. TSA officers, deemed essential, continue working while many face personal financial strain, leading to resignations and call-outs.
As evening approaches on March 24, passenger volumes typically ease after the afternoon rush, potentially shortening lines further for later departures. Overnight and very early morning hours often see the shortest waits.
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Travelers with disabilities or needing assistance should contact their airline in advance and allow extra time. Family lanes exist but can also experience variability.
Chicago Mayor’s office and airport leadership continue coordinating with federal partners on ICE assistance and monitoring conditions closely. Officials emphasize that safety remains the top priority despite the challenges.
For real-time insights, passengers can consult sites like takeofftimer.com or onairparking.com, which aggregate traveler reports and checkpoint data. Social media groups and local news also provide frequent updates from those on the ground.
O’Hare International Airport remains a vital economic engine for the Chicago region. While the current situation tests its resilience, the hub has managed high volumes effectively in the past through proactive measures.
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As spring break continues and negotiations in Washington drag on, conditions at ORD are expected to remain fluid. Passengers are encouraged to stay informed via airline notifications, the flychicago.com site and trusted travel apps.
The message from Chicago’s primary international gateway is clear: Plan ahead, build in substantial extra time and prepare for variable but generally manageable TSA experiences amid broader national strains. Safe travels to all departing O’Hare today.
Electrification is often discussed in terms of visible assets: electric vehicles, charging stations, and energy tariffs. For most organisations, these are the elements that shape investment decisions and public sustainability commitments.
However, as deployment scales, performance is increasingly determined by a less visible layer of infrastructure. This layer rarely features in board-level discussions, yet it directly influences operational reliability, cost predictability, and system resilience.
The emerging risk for businesses is not adoption of new technology, but underestimating the infrastructure required to make that technology consistently work at scale.
The shift from assets to systems
Traditional infrastructure thinking is asset-centric. A charger is installed, a vehicle is deployed, and performance is assumed to follow specification.
In practice, electrified systems behave differently. They operate as interconnected chains of components, where reliability is determined by the weakest link rather than the most advanced element.
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This shift from isolated assets to dependent systems introduces a structural challenge: small inconsistencies in supporting components can accumulate into measurable operational inefficiencies.
Where operational risk actually emerges
In early-stage deployments, infrastructure issues are often attributed to high-level components such as charging units or software platforms. These are visible, complex, and therefore assumed to be the primary source of variation.
However, in scaled environments, a different pattern emerges. Performance variability is frequently driven by lower-profile physical components within the system architecture.
These components are not typically monitored with the same intensity as primary assets, yet they operate under continuous load conditions that expose differences in quality, durability, and consistency.
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The result is not immediate failure, but gradual degradation in operational predictability.
Why small inefficiencies become structural at scale
At individual unit level, minor variations are often negligible. At fleet or multi-site level, they compound into system-wide inefficiencies.
Examples include:
reduced predictability in asset availability
increased buffering requirements in operational planning
higher sensitivity to peak demand periods
gradual erosion of utilisation efficiency across infrastructure networks
The key issue is not breakdown, but inconsistency. Systems designed around assumed uniform performance begin to drift when that assumption does not hold in practice.
The procurement blind spot
Most procurement frameworks remain optimised for upfront cost, specification compliance, and installation speed. These criteria are necessary but incomplete in electrified environments.
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What is often underweighted is lifecycle behaviour under sustained operational load.
This includes:
how components perform under continuous use
how degradation profiles differ across suppliers
how maintenance frequency evolves over time
how small variations scale into system-level inefficiencies
As a result, infrastructure decisions that appear rational at purchase stage can generate disproportionate operational costs over time.
The rise of quality differentiation in commodity infrastructure
As electrification matures, previously interchangeable components are becoming differentiated based on performance stability rather than basic compliance.
Manufacturing consistency, certification rigor, and material durability are increasingly relevant indicators of long-term system reliability.
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In this context, the importance of component-level engineering becomes more visible. For example, manufacturers such as Voldt® operate in a segment where emphasis is placed on reducing variability under sustained commercial load conditions, rather than simply meeting baseline specification requirements.
This reflects a broader market shift toward infrastructure-grade quality standards across the electrification ecosystem.
From electrification projects to infrastructure management
The strategic implication for businesses is a reframing of electrification itself.
What is often treated as a deployment project is, in reality, a transition into ongoing infrastructure management. This requires a different evaluation lens:
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from individual asset performance to system behaviour
from installation success to operational stability
from purchase cost to lifecycle impact
from compliance to resilience
Under this model, infrastructure is not a static investment but a continuously operating system with compounding dependencies.
Reliability of the infrastructure
As electrification scales across UK businesses, the primary constraint is shifting. It is no longer access to technology, but the reliability of the infrastructure that supports it.
The most significant risks are not necessarily located in high-visibility assets, but in the less visible components that determine whether systems perform consistently under real-world conditions.
For organisations moving from pilot projects to full-scale deployment, understanding and managing this “invisible infrastructure” layer is becoming a defining factor in operational success.
The empty block could be brought back into use(Image: Google)
An abandoned office building in Timperley could be brought back into use as new homes.
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Developer Blueoak Estates Ltd is eyeing up the three-storey property in Etchells Road with a view to turning it into apartments. The building was last home to the Lookers Motor Group.
Some 34 new homes are proposed to be created within the office block. These would be a mix of one- and two-beds, planning documents show.
This could be just phase one of the plans for the site, however. Documents state that the plant room and an external ‘plant well’ in the roof area would be redundant under the new use and could be ‘subject to future conversion’.
Limited changes would be made to the exterior of the building. These would see new windows fitted and the ‘part removal’ of the external stairs.
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Some 38 parking spaces are proposed for the new homes. An additional 34 cycle spaces would be provided in an internal storage area.
Blueoaks is seeking permission from Trafford council for the change of use of the building.
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Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen or heard publicly since the war began, “issued new and decisive directives for the continuation of operations and the powerful confrontation with the enemies” while meeting with the head of the joint military command, the state broadcaster reported, with no details.
In April 2026, exports reached a record high of $359.44 billion, up 14.1% year-on-year, exceeding forecasts and showing a strong rebound after a weak growth of 2.5% in March. For the first four months of the year, total exports still grew 14.5% year-on-year to USD 1.34 trillion. However, during the period, sales to the US dropped 10.2%.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warned in a 60 Minutes interview that the war is “not over… There are still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled, there are proxies that Iran supports, there are ballistic missiles that they still want to produce… there’s work to be done.”
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Shares of Urban Company plunged as much as 9% to their day’s low of Rs 127 on the BSE on Monday after it reported a sharp rise in consolidated net loss for the March quarter to Rs 161 crore, compared with Rs 2.8 crore in the same period last year, even as the company posted strong revenue growth.
Revenue from operations for Q4FY26 rose 43% year-on-year to Rs 426 crore from Rs 298 crore a year ago. On a sequential basis, revenue grew 11% from Rs 383 crore reported in the October-December quarter of FY26. The company’s losses also widened sharply quarter-on-quarter, increasing nearly eightfold from Rs 21 crore in Q3FY26.
The professional services platform reported a 42% year-on-year rise in net transacting value (NTV) to Rs 1,148 crore during the quarter, the highest level in the last 15 quarters.
Adjusted EBITDA loss for Q4FY26 stood at Rs 98 crore, while adjusted EBITDA excluding InstaHelp came in at Rs 22 crore. The company also reported a 160-basis-point improvement in margins.
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For the full financial year, NTV increased 31% year-on-year to Rs 4,290 crore, while revenue from operations rose 36% to Rs 1,556 crore. According to the company’s filing, both NTV and revenue growth accelerated for the second consecutive year.
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Among key business segments, India Consumer Services excluding InstaHelp posted 26% year-on-year NTV growth in Q4FY26, marking the strongest growth in 11 quarters. International operations across the UAE and Singapore recorded 84% year-on-year growth in NTV during the quarter. The company said both India Consumer Services, excluding InstaHelp and the international business remained profitable in Q4FY26 while also improving margins on a yearly basis.Native NTV rose 67% year-on-year in the March quarter, while revenue from the segment increased 75%.
InstaHelp delivered 2.7 million orders and recorded Rs 40 crore in NTV in Q4FY26, compared with 1.6 million orders and Rs 28 crore in NTV in Q3FY26. March alone saw over 1.1 million orders.
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