Photo: Shutterstock While TSA officers face a $0 salary this week, we are witnessing significant congestion at airports. Lines are two to three hours long at several airports, causing flight delays and passengers missing flights, said the American airline trade organization Airlines for America today (March 9, 2026).
"The shutdown is having very real consequences, and hardworking federal aviation workers, the airline industry and our passengers are being used as a political football once again. This is simply unacceptable and un-American," says the organization, which launched the "Pay the Airline Workers" campaign.
"We are in spring break travel season and expecting record numbers of people to take to the skies. Airlines have done their part to prepare; now Congress and the administration must act with urgency to reach a deal that reopens DHS and ends this shutdown. America’s transportation security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage."
As we reported earlier today, the current crisis is being driven by the budget crisis in Washington. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a series of scathing statements on the X network, warning of huge lines at airports and significant delays in security screening.
One of the messages read in large letters: “SECURITY LINES OUT THE DOOR.” The ministry says American travelers are already missing flights as a result of the budget crisis, with TSA officers continuing to work without pay due to the budget failure.
DHS blamed the crisis on Democrats in Congress, claiming that the delay in approving funding is causing financial hardship for employees, absenteeism, and a severe shortage of personnel, a situation that is leading to increasing operational pressure at airports.