Airline CEOs are publicly urging Congress to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and ensure continued pay for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and air traffic controllers as a partial government shutdown continues to disrupt air travel.
The heads of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, UPS, FedEx and Atlas Air issued a joint statement Sunday calling for immediate action to mitigate the impact of the shutdown on the aviation system. The letter, published in The Washington Post, specifically requests that Congress pass the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, the Aviation Funding Stability Act, and the Keep America Flying Act.
“Once again, air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown,” the executives wrote. The Keep America Flying Act would extend pay protections to TSA officers, mirroring existing guarantees for air traffic controllers under the other two proposed acts. The CEOs emphasized the hardship faced by aviation workers who are currently working without pay, stating, “It’s difficult, if not impossible, to put food on the table, put gas in the car and pay rent when you are not getting paid.”
The current shutdown stems from a dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, with Democrats in Congress refusing to approve funds due to objections to the department’s immigration enforcement policies. This marks the third time in less than a year that TSA workers have faced a period of working without pay, followed by a wait for back pay once the government reopens, according to the airline executives.
Democratic lawmakers have linked the funding impasse to the need for new restrictions on federal immigration operations, following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year.
The airline industry is bracing for a busy spring travel season, with U.S. Airlines anticipating 171 million passengers, and the approach of major events like FIFA’s World Cup 2026 and celebrations surrounding America’s 250th birthday. The CEOs warned that the ongoing disruption poses a significant risk to the smooth operation of air travel during these critical periods.
Reports indicate that the shutdown is already causing longer security lines at numerous U.S. Airports. The TSA and Department of Homeland Security have attributed these delays to the actions of Democrats, a claim echoed in a recent post on the department’s X account. That post also revealed that more than 300 TSA agents have resigned since the start of the current shutdown.
Delta Air Lines has also independently called on Congress to resolve the shutdown and ensure payment for air traffic controllers and TSA agents, according to CBS News.
