Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport launches 'Help Hub' to feed TSA and federal staff

Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) in Virginia announced Thursday that it is providing meals and essential supplies to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents and other federal employees working at the airport. The initiative, dubbed the “CHO Help Hub,” is intended to offset recent reports that many federal workers at the facility have been serving without pay.

In a post on Facebook, the airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Jason Burch, said CHO “remains neutral in all political matters, but we are not neutral when it comes to supporting our people. Many of our federal partners, including TSA employees, continue to serve with dedication and professionalism despite not being paid.”

To show the airport’s appreciation and provide tangible help, the airport will assist in providing meals to its TSA staff and other federal employees working there. “We are also creating a CHO Help Hub, which will be stocked with ready-to-eat meals and essential items to support federal staff who continue serving our passengers each day,” Burch said.

The airport invites anyone interested in contributing to this effort to contact the airport at info@gocho.com.

On Saturday, President Trump thanked TSA agents for going to work but "not being paid" amid an ongoing partial government shutdown, which has seen agents quitting and absences doubling.

Heated Situation

In addition to the TSA pay issue, CHO’s chiller system experienced a mechanical issue on Thursday, causing warmer-than-usual conditions in the airport’s terminal.

“We want to let our passengers know that our terminal is currently warmer than usual due to a mechanical issue with our chiller system,” the airport said in a Facebook post. The airport’s maintenance team was actively working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible on Thursday.

“We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding while we work to restore normal conditions,” the airport said. “In the meantime, our team is here to help make your travel experience as comfortable as possible.”