ATLANTA — The CEO of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has joined the leaders of nine other major airlines calling on federal lawmakers to end the partial government shutdown.
In an open letter to Congress, Delta CEO Ed Bastian and the other airline heads warned that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are not being paid because of the standoff. The letter states that tens of millions of spring break travelers could face major flight delays.
The airline leaders urged lawmakers to reach a permanent agreement so that the issue does not happen again.
The letter states that TSA agents receiving “zero dollar pay checks is unacceptable.”
Airlines across the country are urging Congress to act to ensure TSA agents are paid.
The letter also notes that 171 million Americans are expected to fly during the spring travel season and calls on lawmakers to immediately come together to reach a permanent agreement so, quote, “this problem never happens again.”
The airline leaders also described air travel as a “political football” amid the ongoing shutdown.
Democrats have refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security until changes are made to Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Monday morning, security wait times were fluctuating as more TSA agents called out from work. Travelers are urged to arrive early, with waits already reaching over an hour and a half.
Airline leaders said upcoming events such as spring break travel, the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary make it critical for lawmakers to reach a bipartisan solution.
WSB Radio’s Michelle Wright contributed to this story.