Aviation industry leaders are putting
pressure on Congressional lawmakers to end the ongoing partial
government shutdown, warning that the situation is forcing crucial federal
workers to go
without pay, even as travel demand ramps up across the country.
In an open letter sent
Sunday, and obtained by Fox
News, CEOs from major U.S. airlines criticized Congress for allowing air
travel to become “the political football” in their budgeting stalemate. The letter
was signed by leaders from major passenger airlines—including American
Airlines, United
Airlines, Delta
Air Lines, JetBlue,
Southwest
Airlines and Alaska
Air Group—as well as massive airfreight companies like Atlas Air Worldwide,
UPS and FedEx.
The current
shutdown, which has frozen funding for the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), began on February 14 and has now stretched on for a full month. The consequences
have been keenly felt among the federal employees who keep airports running,
including TSA screeners, air traffic controllers and customs officers, who are
still reporting to work but are not currently receiving paychecks.
"This problem
is solvable, and there are solutions on the table. Now it’s up to you,
Congress, to move forward on bipartisan proposals that will get federal
aviation workers—including TSA officers, U.S. Customs clearance officers at
airports and air traffic controllers—paid during shutdowns," the airline
leaders wrote.
The group
specifically urged lawmakers to pass several pending pieces of legislation,
including the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, the Aviation Funding Stability Act
and the Keep America Flying Act. Those proposals would ensure that essential
aviation personnel continue receiving pay during future government shutdowns.
According to the
letter, TSA officers "just received $0 paychecks," a situation the
executives described as unacceptable given the critical role these workers play
in protecting the nation’s travel security.
"With spring
break travel in full swing, FIFA World Cup 2026 right around the corner and
celebrations for America’s
250th birthday throughout the year, the stakes are especially high,"
the executives argued, noting that strain on the system is only going to
increase soon. They predicted that a busy season lies ahead, with roughly 171
million passengers expected to fly this spring alone. And, they emphasized that
travelers are already experiencing longer wait times, with security lines
stretching for two, three and even four hours.
Airlines said they
are trying to mitigate problems by holding flights for delayed passengers and
helping travelers rebook when necessary. But industry leaders argue that a true
solution requires immediate action from Congress.
"It’s past
time for the government to make sure that TSA officers, U.S. Customs clearance
officers at airports and air traffic controllers are paid for the job they
do."
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