Airline CEOs Urge Congress to End Government Shutdown Impacting Travel
On Sunday, top executives from major U.S. airlines called on Congress to swiftly resolve a 29-day partial government shutdown that’s left around 50,000 airport security workers unpaid, highlighting the potential for further disruptions in air travel.
Last week, travel was already affected at key airports due to employee absences from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), raising concerns as the busy spring break travel season approaches.
“Many travelers are enduring unusually long waits at checkpoints,” noted the CEOs from airlines including American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and others in an open letter directed to lawmakers.
They emphasized that immediate action is needed: “Leaders must unite now to agree on funding the Department of Homeland Security and ensure that this situation doesn’t happen again.”
Last fall, a 43-day shutdown resulted in significant flight disruptions, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to limit flights at major airports by 10%. In their letter, the CEOs remarked, “Air travel seems to have become just another political bargaining chip.”
The airline leaders, joined by executives from cargo carriers like FedEx and UPS, advocated for legislation to guarantee that essential aviation workers get paid during any future government shutdowns.
Attempts by bipartisan senators to fund the TSA failed on Thursday, with reports indicating that over 300 employees have left since the start of the shutdown.
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security ran out on February 13, following disagreements over immigration policies sought by Democrats.
“We’ll get through this,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated on Fox News. However, he expressed concerns about waiting for tragedies to happen before prioritizing safety measures over illegal immigration issues.
Airlines are preparing for a potentially record-breaking spring travel season, expecting around 171 million passengers, which is a 4% increase compared to last year.
Recently, airports like Houston Hobby and New Orleans experienced security line waits surpassing two hours due to increased TSA staff shortages, while Newark reported significant delays on Saturday.
The CEOs remarked, “People in your districts are fed up with the long lines, delays, and cancellations caused by continuous shutdowns.”
Some airports are even closing certain security checkpoints and seeking donations to provide food and essentials for TSA employees working without pay.
