Lines were 30 to 45 minutes long at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport early Friday morning amid the partial federal shutdown, as travel for the busy holiday weekend begins.

WSB's Clark Howard is there: “It really hasn’t been much of a story since Monday on the security lines, but they’re back.

“There are so many people here in these lines.”

He adds, “There are these yellow, temporary ropes that have been put in place. And on both the north side and the south side, people are lined up way back from security.

“I’d say a good 100 yards from where people would normally turn into security, where people are in line.”

The Transportation Security Administration has had staffing shortages amid the shutdown, as some TSA officers struggle with financial difficulties. Hartsfield-Jackson general manager John Selden said 75,000 passengers are expected at security checkpoints at the Atlanta airport Friday.

Meanwhile, airport executives gathering for a recent conference were supposed be briefed by the Federal Aviation Administration, TSA officials on security, and infrastructure plans for 2019.

However, in an exclusive interview, Carl Newman -- board member with the American Association of Airport Executives -- tells WSB Radio’s Michelle Wright they did not show up, leaving execs with a lot of questions.  “There were several sessions in which we were supposed to engage with individuals from both the TSA and from the FAA,” Newman says, adding, “And of course, because of the shutdown, they were not in attendance.

“We’re wondering about those funding streams and when we’re going to get paid for some work we’ve already done in conjunction with the federal agencies.”

Newman adds that if this drags on, shutting down projects and restarting them will actually cost more money in the long run.