This New Orleans Resident Will Take Your Place In Hours-Long TSA Lines—For $600

The paid line-sitters will hold a flyers spot until they reach the final ID check.

The severe TSA staffing crisis leaves American airports in a state of paralysis, and an enterprising Black man has found a lucrative way to capitalize on the chaos. Jimmy Payne, a New Orleans resident, has officially launched a professional line-sitting business. He offers to endure grueling multi-hour waits at security checkpoints for a premium fee.

Payne’s business model is a response to wait times that have recently stretched beyond three hours at major hubs like Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. For rates ranging from $600 to $1,200, Payne or one of his associates will enter the security queue long before a traveler’s departure. The paid line-sitters will hold a flyer’s spot until they reach the final ID check, at which point the customer will switch places with them.

In his Facebook announcement, Jimmy Payne describes himself as the ideal candidate for this grueling work, citing “strong legs, a strong bladder, and zero complaints.” While the service has sparked a debate over airport ethics, Payne maintains that he is simply providing a high-value convenience for those whose time is worth more than his steep transaction fee.

The service operates in a unique regulatory gray area. Because the traveler must still present their own valid boarding pass and government ID to the TSA agent at the front of the line, the core security protocols remain intact. However, airport authorities have expressed concern that Payne’s business could be classified as “unauthorized commercial solicitation,” which could lead to bans on professional line-sitters on terminal grounds.

The demand for Jimmy Payne’s services is a direct symptom of the ongoing staffing shortage at the Department of Homeland Security. With national TSA call-out rates up to 40% due to the shutdown, checkpoints have become bottlenecked, and even “priority” lanes are frequently overwhelmed, the Associated Press reported. While the administration has attempted to deploy ICE agents to assist with non-screening duties, the lack of certified personnel means that the “general” lines continue to grow at record-breaking speeds.