Travelers have faced hours-long security lines and missed flights as a partial government shutdown has continued for weeks.

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - Major U.S. airports that suffered massive disruptions for weeks after 50,000 Transportation Security Administration security officers went unpaid since mid-February say operations are returning to normal.

Transportation Security Administration wait times improved Monday at airports across the Washington, D.C. region, though officials warned delays could continue until workers receive their pay.

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TSA wait times are at a record high and can stretch for hours. But travelers from around the U.S. reported uneven experiences on Wednesday, March 25.

Airports serving Washington, D.C., Baltimore and some cities in Virginia briefly halted all flights Friday evening because of what federal authorities said was a strong chemical smell at the flight center that controls traffic into the airports.

WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - The White House is weighing unilateral action to pay Transportation Security Administration officers if the Senate cannot quickly agree to a deal on the Department of Homeland Security's budget,

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