Photo: ATL AIRPORT The aviation crisis in the United States continues. The CEOs of major airlines have written an open letter to members of Congress demanding that they ensure payment to airline workers (TSA) even during the government shutdown. In the letter, published last night (March 15, 2026) by Sean Duffy, the US Secretary of Transportation, in collaboration with Airlines for America, company leaders warned that the current situation is harming aviation operations and passengers.
They say polls conducted in the United States show that 93% of Americans support paying federal aviation workers during government shutdowns. In addition, 88% of respondents believe that long lines and lengthy security checks at airports are likely to return if TSA employees continue to work without pay during such periods.
The letter emphasizes that government shutdowns are causing delays, flight cancellations, and long airport lines, and that many passengers are already fatigued by the repeated effects of the crisis on the aviation system.
According to the companies, TSA employees received salaries of $0 last week, a situation they say is unacceptable and harms the employees' ability to make a living.
The appeal comes ahead of the busy spring season. According to airline data, about 171 million passengers are expected to fly during the upcoming spring season, marking a new record number. At the same time, there have already been reports of exceptionally long wait times at security checkpoints.