US airline executives urge Congress to end the government shutdown and pay employees

10 American airlines and airline executives call on Congress to end the government shutdown that has affected travelers.

The joint letter released on Saturday states: “Americans living in your districts and states are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays, and flight cancellations caused by repeated government shutdowns. Yet, air travel has once again become a political football in the new round of shutdowns.”

Signatory executives include CEOs from Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and United Parcel Service (UPS).

The letter says: “TSA workers are not being paid. This is completely unacceptable. Without income, it becomes extremely difficult to support families, fuel cars, and pay rent—even if not entirely impossible.” The executives also point out that, during the peak spring travel season, the shutdown is putting enormous pressure on the federally operated Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers who are working without pay.

They state that this year’s World Cup and the 250th anniversary of the United States are expected to bring a record 171 million travelers to the country. They add, “The government should have ensured that affected workers received their pay long ago.”

The executives also urge Congress to pass three bills to ensure that air traffic controllers and TSA workers receive their pay regardless of the government’s funding status.