March 16, 2026 — Washington, D.C. — Airline CEOs urge Congress to end partial government shutdown and fund DHS to pay TSA workers, according to an open letter signed by executives from 10 major U.S. airlines and published March 15 in The Washington Post. The 29-day partial shutdown has left over 50,000 TSA officers without pay, causing long security lines, flight delays and cancellations ahead of record spring travel expected to see 171 million passengers.
The letter, addressed to Members of Congress, was signed by leaders including Delta CEO Ed Bastian, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, United CEO Scott Kirby, Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan, JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty, Alaska Air CEO Ben Minicucci, UPS EVP Nando Cesarone, FedEx COO Richard W. Smith, Atlas Air CEO Michael Steen, and Airlines for America President and CEO Christopher T. Sununu.
Disruptions Highlighted
Airline CEOs urge Congress to end partial government shutdown and fund DHS to pay TSA workers due to severe operational impacts. TSA officers received “$0 paychecks,” making it “difficult, if not impossible, to put food on the table, put gas in the car and pay rent,” the letter states. Wait times at checkpoints have reached 2, 3 or even 4 hours, with airlines holding flights and rebooking passengers to mitigate delays.
There are very few issues upon which 9 out of 10 Americans agree. However, in recent polling, 93 percent of your constituents across the country supported paying federal aviation workers during government shutdowns.
Over 300 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown began, exacerbating staffing shortages during spring break, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and America’s 250th birthday celebrations, per USA Today and AP News.
Proposed Solutions
The executives called for immediate DHS funding and passage of the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, Aviation Funding Stability Act for air traffic controllers, and Keep America Flying Act for TSA protections during shutdowns. “This problem is solvable, and there are solutions on the table,” they wrote.
Airline CEOs urge Congress to end partial government shutdown and fund DHS to pay TSA workers, describing air travel as a repeated “political football” in the third such shutdown in under a year affecting DHS, according to Fortune and The Guardian.
Public and Media Reaction
Polling by AlphaROC, Inc., from March 9-10 showed 88% of Americans expect long lines if TSA remains unpaid. The letter gained traction on X, with Airlines for America posting it to amplify the call. Coverage appeared in The Hill and Business Insider, emphasizing the urgency for travelers and security.
