With the U.S. shutdown appearing more likely, travelers should brace for longer wait times at the airport.

During the last shutdown nearly five years ago, TSA workers went unpaid, although many still carried out their essential duties.

TSA agents are an agency under the Department of Homeland Security created as a result of the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority say their employees will not be directly impacted, and they're prepared to keep operations running in the case of a shutdown.

"The RTA recognizes that there is importance to maintaining operations during a period like this so while the airport relies on essential services like TSA screening, we can ensure to our passengers that we will remain open and operational during that time," said Reno Tahoe Airport Authority Public Affairs Coordinator Nicolle Staten.

2 News reached out to the the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

TSA Regional Spokesperson Lorie Danker says that 50,000 of the agency's 62,000 employees are considered essential and will continue working without pay in the event of a shutdown. At one point during the last shutdown nearly five years ago, up to ten percent of TSA agents nationwide called out.

In a statement to 2 News, Danker wrote:

"At the Transportation Security Administration, part of the Department of Homeland Security, 59,000 of the agency's 62,000 employees are considered essential and would continue working without pay in the event of a shutdown. An extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports.

TSA Administrator David Pekoske, who was TSA administrator during the previous shutdown, said the lapse in funding took a toll on the agency, with growing numbers of TSA officers saying they were unable to report to work. As a result, airport checkpoint wait times increased. A similar scenario could play out again if the shutdown lasts for an extended period. It's very, very hard for anybody to go for 20 days, 30 days, 40 days or longer without receiving a paycheck. It impacts the ability of people to get to work, to pay to put gas in their vehicles, to pay for parking. It impacts their ability to pay the individuals that provide care for their children," wrote TSA Regional Spokesperson Lorie Danker. 

As we've been reporting the FAA's ongoing air traffic control shortage has caused historic numbers of flight disruptions, and the agency says a government shutdown would only make things worse.

2 News also reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration and they told us they would carry out it's mission during a government shut down, but it would set back their critical efforts.

From past experience with shutdowns here's what the FAA says would happen:

o Training of air traffic controllers would stop at the Academy and in facilities where controllers are certified on specific airspace. Even a week shutdown would set the agency back a month.

o Out of roughly 13,000 controllers, 2,600 controllers are currently in the pipeline.

o Of those 2,600, around 1,000 would be furloughed since they are not trained on at least one position within their facility.

o Hiring of new air traffic controllers would stop.

o Employees who perform certain safety-critical work, including air traffic controllers, technicians for air traffic equipment, and aviation safety inspectors would continue to work without pay.

o Nearly 17,000 FAA employees would be furloughed.

o Pausing of important upgrades of air traffic technology (i.e. modernization of the NOTAM system) and halting implementation of the final pieces of NextGen.

o Pausing rulemaking.

According to the White House, a shutdown would force 1,504 TSA agents and 104 Air Traffic Controllers to work without pay in Nevada alone.Â