March 16, 2026 — Washington Airline CEOs from major U.S. carriers urged Congress on March 15 to end the 29-day partial government shutdown and restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pay approximately 50,000 unpaid Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers amid security lines stretching 3-4 hours or more at airports including Houston Hobby, New Orleans and Newark.
CEOs including Robert Isom of American Airlines, Ed Bastian of Delta Air Lines, Scott Kirby of United Airlines, Bob Jordan of Southwest Airlines, Joanna Geraghty of JetBlue Airways, Ben Minicucci of Alaska Airlines, and executives from cargo firms FedEx, UPS and Atlas Air signed an open letter published via Airlines for America, describing air travel as a “political football” in shutdown disputes.
Once again air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown.
The letter demands immediate DHS funding and passage of bipartisan bills—the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, Aviation Funding Stability Act for air traffic controllers, and Keep America Flying Act for TSA—to ensure pay during future lapses. It cites polling showing 93% of Americans support paying aviation workers during shutdowns and 88% expect repeated long lines without protections.
Impacts on Travelers and TSA
TSA officers received $0 paychecks, prompting over 300 quits since the shutdown began on February 13, according to Homeland Security and Guardian reporting. Airlines report flight delays, cancellations and closed checkpoints, with airlines holding flights for late passengers.
Too many travelers are having to wait in extraordinarily long—and painfully slow—lines at checkpoints. Wait times of 2, 3 and even 4 hours have been reported.
With 171 million passengers expected this spring—a 4% increase—plus FIFA World Cup 2026 and America’s 250th birthday events, executives warn of worsening chaos.
Shutdown Background
The lapse stems from Democratic objections to DHS immigration tactics following January fatal shootings in Minneapolis, marking the third such incident affecting TSA in under a year, per AP News.
TSA officers just received $0 paychecks. That is simply unacceptable.
Airports are raising donations for unpaid workers. The letter, signed by 10 executives including Airlines for America President Christopher T. Sununu, calls for consensus on pay for TSA, customs and air traffic controllers. Airline CEOs urge Congress to end partial government shutdown and fund DHS to pay TSA workers amid long airport lines, echoing coverage in Barron’s, Fox News and others.