Delta CEO Critiques Congress Over TSA Employees’ Pay

Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, has expressed his frustration with Congress for requiring airport security personnel to work without compensation, as the partial government shutdown stretches into its fifth week. He labeled the situation as “inexcusable” and accused lawmakers of using these essential workers as “political chips.”

Bastian stated, “It is inexcusable that security and frontline workers who are essential to our operations are not being paid, and it is ridiculous to see them being used as political fodder.” He made these comments during an interview with CNBC.

Feeling outraged, he noted the detrimental effects this situation is having on operations, particularly at major airports like Atlanta, where long lines have resurfaced, especially over the weekend.

“We are certainly witnessing it,” he remarked, acknowledging that such disruptions become more prominent during weekends.

While Bastian pointed out that weather has exacerbated the circumstances, he emphasized that the unpaid status of workers is the core issue.

Approximately 50,000 employees of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have been working without pay since mid-February, following lawmakers’ failure to agree on funding for the Department of Homeland Security amid ongoing disputes in Washington.

Recently, Senate Democrats blocked a funding bill for the fourth time in a month, resulting in over 5,000 flight delays and 500 cancellations.

A spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the House’s actions, claiming, “Twice now, Speaker Johnson has led the House to pass legislation that fully funds the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA salaries.”

They argued that the House has passed this bill both in January and earlier this month, only to be blocked by Senate Democrats, whom they accused of refusing to fund the department.

On the other hand, high-ranking Senate Democrats denied Johnson’s assertions. They claimed that they have repeatedly proposed funding for TSA employees, but these proposals have consistently been blocked by Republicans.

The spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated, “If Republicans approve, TSA agents, FEMA employees, and Coast Guard employees could be paid tomorrow.”

Despite being deemed essential, these workers are missing at least one paycheck and will not receive compensation until a legislative agreement is reached.

The economic strain is already affecting workers profoundly, with a doubling in absentee rates observed, as over 300 TSA agents have reportedly resigned since the shutdown began.

Many remaining agents are facing challenges in meeting basic financial obligations like rent and childcare.

Staffing shortages have led to some airport checkpoints shutting down entirely, resulting in lengthy wait times—sometimes two to three hours—at major airports including Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans.

Airlines are working to navigate the disruptions, attempting to manage delayed passengers by rebooking or providing holds when possible. Bastian downplayed the operational impact on Delta’s network, stating that they would do their utmost to reorganize flights.

He framed the crisis as a matter of fairness, saying, “These people were in arrears just a few months ago, and they’re in arrears again. It’s outrageous.”

Bastian highlighted the mounting pressure from airline leaders who, on March 15th, sent an open letter to Congress, calling for urgent action to restore pay to federal airline employees.

The CEOs of several major U.S. airlines—including Delta, American, United, Southwest, and JetBlue—asserted that the issue transcends many political divides, underscoring that 93% of Americans support compensating TSA workers during the shutdown.

The letter cautioned that if TSA employees continue to work without pay, the situation would not improve, noting that the general public is weary of continual airport delays and cancellations.

The letter concluded by urging Congress to ensure pay for TSA, air traffic controllers, and customs agents during future shutdowns, along with providing immediate funding to the Department of Homeland Security to resolve the current deadlock.

Lawmakers were contacted for their responses regarding this urgent matter.