More than 360 Transportation Security Administration officers have quit since the Department of Homeland Security shutdown began on February 13, and the airline industry’s most powerful executives are now demanding that Congress act before the crisis spirals further out of control.
The CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue Airways joined the heads of cargo giants UPS, FedEx, and Atlas Air in a joint letter to congressional leaders over the weekend, warning that “once again, air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown.” The letter calls on lawmakers 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 during funding lapses.
TSA Callout Rates Hit Record Levels Across Major Airports
The staffing collapse accelerated over the weekend after TSA officers missed their first full paycheck on Friday, March 14. The national callout rate surged to 10.19% on Sunday, the highest the agency has recorded since the shutdown began, compared with the 2% baseline before funding lapsed.
Individual airports have been hit even harder. Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport reported a 55% callout rate on Saturday. At John F. Kennedy International Airport, TSA officers have averaged a 21% absence rate during the shutdown, the highest among major hubs. Business travelers planning spring trips are facing wait times of three to four hours at security checkpoints, with acting TSA Administrator Adam Stahl acknowledging that “things will continue to worsen in terms of impact to wait times.”
A Workforce in Crisis
TSA officers earn between $35,000 and $40,000 a year, leaving little financial cushion when paychecks stop. The joint letter from airline CEOs noted that “it’s difficult, if not impossible, to put food on the table, put gas in the car and pay rent when you are not getting paid.” Training a replacement TSA officer takes four to six months, meaning the 366 who have already left cannot be quickly replaced.
TSA officer Anthony Riley, 58, told NBC News that he is working with Legal Aid to prevent eviction after four weeks without pay. “This is the fourth week I’m working without pay and it’s killing me,” Riley said.
Spring Travel Season Faces Mounting Disruption
The timing could not be worse for the aviation industry. U.S. airlines expect 171 million passengers during the spring travel season, with spring break already underway and the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaching this summer. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest, saw wait times exceed one hour on Sunday with a 19% absence rate among TSA staff.
This marks the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers without pay. The current standoff stems from a dispute between Republicans and Democrats over federal immigration enforcement tactics after DHS funding expired on February 13. With no resolution in sight, the airline industry is warning that the damage to the broader economy will only deepen as staffing losses mount and experienced officers walk away for good.
