Airline CEOs Urge Congress To Restore DHS Funding And Pay Airport Workers
Executives from major passenger and cargo airlines urged Congress to restore DHS funding and pass bills guaranteeing pay for air traffic controllers and TSA amid a partial DHS shutdown.
RedStateAirline CEOs Join Forces in Letter Demanding Congress Get Their Act Together and End Schumer Shutdown
FortuneTop airline CEOs plead with Congress to restore DHS funding and pay airport workers. 'Once again, air travel is the political football' | Fortune
ABC NewsCEOs of top airlines demand Congress restore funding to Homeland Security and pay airport workers
ABC NewsAirline CEOs demand Congress restore DHS funding and pay airport workers
Overview
CEOs of American, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue and cargo firms UPS, FedEx and Atlas Air published an open letter urging Congress to restore Department of Homeland Security funding and pay federal aviation workers.
The partial government shutdown affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration, leaving TSA officers temporarily without pay, the letter said.
Democratic lawmakers have said DHS will not be funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations after the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year.
U.S. airlines said they expect 171 million passengers this spring.
They urged Congress to pass the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, the Aviation Funding Stability Act and the Keep America Flying Act to guarantee pay for air traffic controllers and TSA officers.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as an urgent operational crisis that requires congressional action, foregrounding airline CEOs' open letter and passenger pain (FlightAware delay/cancellation counts, TSA workers missing pay). They prioritize industry and frontline worker perspectives and legislative fixes while offering no congressional reply or DHS counterstatement, creating a pressure-focused narrative.
FAQ
The partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security began on February 14, 2026.
Democratic lawmakers are withholding DHS funding until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier in the year.
TSA officers have missed their first full paycheck on March 13, 2026, leading to over 300 employees leaving, unscheduled absences more than doubling, longer security lines, and flight delays during spring travel season.
CEOs from American, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, and cargo firms UPS, FedEx, and Atlas Air published the open letter urging restoration of DHS funding.
The CEOs urged Congress to pass the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, the Aviation Funding Stability Act, and the Keep America Flying Act to guarantee pay for air traffic controllers and TSA officers.
