Leaders from America’s biggest airlines are calling on lawmakers to end the current partial government shutdown and ensure federal aviation workers receive their paychecks.
In a public letter published Sunday in The Washington Post, executives from major carriers including American, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue expressed frustration with the ongoing funding crisis affecting airport operations.
“Once again, air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown,” the airline leaders stated in their joint message to Congress.
The letter also received signatures from shipping giants UPS, FedEx and Atlas Air. These business leaders are pushing for passage of three specific bills: the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, Aviation Funding Stability Act, and Keep America Flying Act. These measures would ensure continuous pay for air traffic controllers and TSA security personnel regardless of government funding disputes.
The executives emphasized the human cost of the shutdown, writing: “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.”
This latest shutdown targets only the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA operations. Congressional Democrats have blocked funding for the agency due to disagreements over immigration enforcement policies. The standoff follows fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis this year, prompting Democratic demands for new limits on federal immigration activities.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the travel industry, according to the airline CEOs. With spring break travel in full swing, preparations underway for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations planned throughout the year, airlines anticipate serving 171 million passengers this spring alone.
The shutdown’s impact is already visible at airports nationwide, where travelers are experiencing increasingly lengthy security checkpoint delays.
Both TSA and Homeland Security officials have pointed fingers at Democratic lawmakers for the extended wait times and operational challenges.
According to a recent Homeland Security social media post, more than 300 TSA agents have resigned since this shutdown began, further straining airport security operations.
