Airline CEOs Urge Congress to End Shutdown, Pay Airport Security

Major airlines warn of further travel disruptions if TSA officers continue working without pay

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:03pm

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The CEOs of major U.S. airlines, including American, United, Delta, Southwest, and others, have written an open letter to Congress urging them to quickly reach an agreement to end the 29-day partial government shutdown and ensure that critical aviation personnel like Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are paid during future shutdowns. The airline executives warn that the growing absences of unpaid TSA officers have already led to long security lines and travel disruptions at some major airports, and could worsen as the busy spring break travel season continues.

Why it matters

The ongoing government shutdown and lack of pay for TSA officers is causing significant disruptions to air travel, which could worsen during the busy spring break period. This highlights the need for Congress to find a solution to ensure critical aviation personnel are paid during future government shutdowns to avoid repeated travel chaos.

The details

In their letter, the airline CEOs called on Congress to immediately reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA. They also urged lawmakers to pass legislation that would guarantee pay for critical government aviation personnel during future shutdowns. The group noted that the last government shutdown in 2018 led to widespread flight disruptions, and they do not want to see a repeat of that situation.

  • The current partial government shutdown has lasted 29 days as of March 15, 2026.
  • The last government shutdown in 2018 lasted 43 days and caused significant flight disruptions.

The players

American Airlines

A major U.S. airline that signed the open letter to Congress.

United Airlines

A major U.S. airline that signed the open letter to Congress.

Delta Air Lines

A major U.S. airline that signed the open letter to Congress.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The federal agency responsible for airport security, whose officers are currently working without pay due to the government shutdown.

Department of Homeland Security

The federal department that oversees the TSA and whose funding has lapsed due to the shutdown.

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What’s next

Congress is expected to continue negotiations to end the partial government shutdown and reach an agreement on funding the Department of Homeland Security.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the need for Congress to find a long-term solution to ensure critical aviation personnel are paid during government shutdowns, in order to avoid repeated disruptions to air travel that impact millions of passengers.