The CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, expressed outrage this week over Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents continuing to work without pay as the U.S. partial government shutdown stretches into its fifth week.
In a Tuesday interview with CNBC, Bastian criticized lawmakers in Washington, D.C., urging them to “do their job” and get federal employees paid.
“It’s inexcusable that our security agents, our frontline agents, that are essential to what we do, are not being paid, and it’s ridiculous to see them being used as political chips,” Bastian said, underscoring how critical TSA workers are to airport operations nationwide.
Flight Disruptions and Airport Backups Amid Shutdown
The effects of the shutdown on air travel have been tangible. More than 1,000 flights were canceled Tuesday and roughly 4,200 were delayed, according to data from flight‑tracking website FlightAware cited by PBS News.
Long security lines formed at major airports, including Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta’s largest hub. Travelers were advised to arrive three hours before departure due to staffing delays at security checkpoints.
The disruption comes on top of other pressures facing U.S. airports, including travel impacts from the war in Iran and severe weather in recent days.
Airline CEOs Urge Congress to Act
Ed Bastian is not alone in his call for action. CEOs from several major U.S. carriers — including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue — signed a public letter urging Congress to pass bipartisan funding that would ensure TSA agents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, and air traffic controllers are paid during government funding gaps.
The letter cited a March poll by data‑science firm AlphaROC, which found 93% of Americans support paying TSA workers who keep airport checkpoints operating during shutdowns.
Shutdown Deadlock and DHS Funding Stalemate
The heart of the issue is a political standoff in Congress over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the TSA. Democrats want immigration reforms, including changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), after recent lethal incidents involving immigration enforcement.
Republicans have blocked Democratic bills that would fund DHS agencies separately, including the TSA.
As a result, TSA employees must continue working without pay, and although they are guaranteed backpay once funding is restored, that does little to ease financial strain in the moment.
Financial Hardship for TSA Workers
With the shutdown now causing missed paychecks, nearly 50,000 TSA employees are still on the job without income. Unscheduled absences have climbed to about 6%, compared with around 2% before the shutdown, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
About 300 TSA workers have resigned since the shutdown began on Feb. 14, DHS reported.
TSA agents typically earn between $46,000 and $55,000 annually, and many are facing serious financial hardship, according to Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees — one of the largest unions representing federal workers.
Kelley cited experiences from the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, when agents went 3.5 pay periods without pay, leading to evictions, car repossessions, and disruptions to childcare.
Bastian: Focus on Fairness, Not Blame
While Bastian acknowledged travel disruptions, he downplayed the idea that the shutdown is to blame for long lines and cancellations, saying airlines will “figure that out.” His central focus remains on how TSA workers are treated without compensation.
