Peoria, Central Illinois Regional airports accepting donations for TSA officers as they work without a paycheck
(25News Now) - The airports in Peoria and Bloomington-Normal are accepting gift cards as TSA employees continue to work without a paycheck.
The Peoria International Airport said they are accepting gas and grocery cards up to $20 for the airport’s 43 security officers Monday-Friday 8:30-4 p.m. in their administration offices on the second floor.
Anyone dropping off gas and grocery cards outside of those office hours can go to the Airport Operations Offices to the right of the ticket counters to drop them off or at the checkpoint.
Those wishing can mail gift cards can do so to the MAAP Offices.
PIA also said they are not seeing 3-4 hour wait times as some other larger airports are seeing.
Airport Director Gene Olson told WMBD’s “The Greg and Dan Show” that it’s business as usual, though spring break is keeping the airport busy.
The Central Illinois Regional Airport is accepting gas and grocery cards up to $20 per card, along with non-perishable food and household product donations.
CIRA also said security officers cannot accept home-baked items per TSA guidelines.
Items can be dropped off at the airport’s security checkpoint, with the caveat that there may be passengers in line, or at CIRA’s offices from 8-5 p.m. on the mezzanine level.
Hundreds of thousands of homeland security workers, including from the TSA, U.S. Secret Service and Coast Guard, have worked without pay since Congress failed to renew DHS funding last month.
ICE agents headed to certain airports Monday in an effort to reduce the strain on TSA amid a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, President Donald Trump announced.
CIRA iterated that there are no known plans to put ICE agents at the airport.
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