March 15, 2026 — Washington, D.C. — CEOs of major U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, UPS, FedEx and others, sent an open letter to Congress demanding immediate funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to address a partial government shutdown impacting TSA operations and air travel nationwide.
The letter, published via Airlines for America (A4A), urges passage of the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, Aviation Funding Stability Act and Keep America Flying Act to ensure pay for TSA officers, U.S. Customs clearance officers and air traffic controllers during shutdowns. Signatories include Robert Isom of American Airlines, Ed Bastian of Delta, Bob Jordan of Southwest, Joanna Geraghty of JetBlue, Scott Kirby of United, and leaders from UPS, FedEx, Alaska Air, Atlas Air and A4A.
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 CEOs highlighted polling showing 93% of Americans support paying federal aviation workers during shutdowns and 88% expect repeated long security lines without protections.
Disruptions at Major Airports
Reports detail hours-long security lines at hubs like Reagan National (DCA), Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), Atlanta (ATL) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD), with thousands of flight delays and cancellations amid spring break travel. U.S. airlines anticipate a record 171 million passengers this spring. Wait times of two to four hours have been reported, forcing airlines to hold flights and rebook passengers.
CNBC and USA Today coverage notes TSA officers received $0 paychecks, exacerbating issues ahead of events like the FIFA World Cup 2026.
TSA Staffing Shortages
Over 300 TSA agents have resigned since the February DHS funding lapse, with sick calls doubling, per ABC News and AirlineGeeks. Reuters reports impacts on 50,000 TSA officers.
The letter states:
TSA officers just received $0 paychecks. That is simply unacceptable.
Broader Reaction
The story trended on X, with posts from @ChicagoBreaking (1.5K views) and @AirProNews highlighting risks to 171 million passengers. Trader discussions noted stock effects for $AAL, $DAL and $JBLU.
AP News and UPI confirmed the letter’s push amid operational risks.