Major Airlines Demand Congress End Shutdown, Pay TSA Workers

Leaders of America's biggest airlines are calling on Congress to quickly resolve a 29-day government shutdown that has left 50,000 airport security workers without paychecks. The unpaid TSA officers are calling out sick in growing numbers, creating extremely long security lines during the busy spring break travel season.

WASHINGTON – Top executives from America’s largest airlines sent an urgent message to Congress on Sunday, demanding lawmakers quickly resolve a nearly month-long government shutdown that has left tens of thousands of airport security workers without paychecks.

The 29-day partial shutdown has impacted 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees who continue working despite not receiving pay, according to the airline leaders’ letter.

Growing numbers of TSA workers have been calling out sick, creating significant disruptions at airports nationwide during what is typically a busy travel period for spring break vacations.

“Too many travelers are having to wait in extraordinarily long – and painfully slow – lines at checkpoints,” wrote the chief executives of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Air and other carriers in their joint letter to lawmakers.

The airline leaders demanded immediate action from Congress. “First, leaders should immediately come together to reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Then they need to act so this problem never happens again,” they stated.

This marks the second major shutdown to impact air travel in recent months. A 43-day government closure last fall caused widespread flight disruptions and forced federal aviation officials to mandate a 10% reduction in flights at major airports.

“Once again air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown,” the executives complained in their letter.

The coalition of airline and cargo company leaders – including senior officials from FedEx, UPS and Atlas Air – pushed for new legislation that would guarantee payment for essential aviation workers during future government shutdowns.

Congressional efforts to resolve the funding crisis have stalled, with senators from both political parties failing to reach agreement Thursday on competing proposals to restore TSA funding. The agency reported that more than 300 officers have resigned since the shutdown started.

The Department of Homeland Security lost its funding on February 13 when Congress couldn’t agree on immigration enforcement changes that Democrats were seeking.

The timing couldn’t be worse for airlines, which are anticipating their busiest spring travel season on record. Industry projections show 171 million passengers are expected to fly during the two-month period, representing a 4% increase from last year.

Several major airports have already experienced severe delays. Houston Hobby and New Orleans airports reported security checkpoint waits exceeding two hours last week due to TSA staffing shortages, while Newark airport announced higher-than-normal delays on Saturday.

“Americans – who live in your districts and home states – are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays and flight cancellations caused by shutdown after shutdown,” the airline executives wrote to lawmakers.

Some airports have been forced to close security checkpoints, while others are raising funds to help unpaid TSA employees purchase food and basic necessities as they continue working without compensation.