U.S. airports could take major hit from upcoming budget cuts this summer

If you thought airport wait times were long, get ready for worse. How about an extra hour to go through security? And, international travelers, brace for this — four hours to clear customs?

These are likely scenarios at the nation’s airports when the much-feared $85 billion of forced U.S. budget cuts hit in March. Many federal agencies — including those that handle airport security, customs, and air traffic control — will be forced to furlough employees, which means workers will have to stay away from their jobs for no pay for certain time periods over the next seven months.