Actually, No Delays at Airports—Yet

Janet Napolitano warned travelers yesterday that the sequester is already causing long lines at airports, but the Wall Street Journal and Politico both pooh-pooh that idea today. A dozen major airports tell the Journal there were no unusual delays or lines yesterday, and Politico notes that no passenger complaints or horror stories have cropped up online. It seems Napolitano may have been referring mostly to customs—she specifically mentioned Miami and JFK airports, but while Miami confirmed there was a customs delay Saturday, JFK says it isn't aware of any recent issues.

And Miami was one of the airports to report smooth operations yesterday. The Journal notes that while delays are likely to increase, it will probably take some time, as staffers are gradually reduced thanks to freezes on hiring and overtime. (Politico puts the fallout about 30 days away.) Some Republicans, of course, are saying the administration's dire sequester-related warnings are overblown. (More Janet Napolitano stories.)