Major U.S. Airlines 'Deeply Concerned' About Government Shutdown Before Record Travel

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is in the midst of a partial shutdown as lawmakers have not agreed on a plan to fund the agency. As the shutdown stretches on, it is expected to have ripple effects for travelers as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which runs the security checkpoints at the airport, is an arm of DHS.

As the top airlines throughout the United States prepare for what they expect to be a record-breaking travel season, a group of major U.S. carriers has issued a statement indicating that they are "deeply concerned."

DHS Shutdown Impacting TSA

Though the federal government officially came back online in November 2025 after what had been the longest complete government shutdown on record, that reopening amounted to little more than a temporary fix while legislators worked toward a more permanent funding solution.

Since then, Congress has passed several spending bills to prevent the lights from going out again. DHS, however, stands as the only federal agency still without secured funding through the remainder of fiscal year 2026, which runs until September 30. As a result, a partial shutdown has kicked in — one that directly impacts DHS and, with it, the TSA.

TSA employees do ultimately receive their pay after a shutdown of this nature, but they are required to continue showing up to work without compensation until it's over.

That said, the longer the shutdown drags on and the more paychecks agents go without, the greater the risk of staffing shortages and slowdowns — a pattern that played out last fall. Those shortages have a downstream effect, potentially translating into longer wait times and delays for travelers moving through airports.

TSA PreCheck Still Active, Global Entry Suspended

Shortly after the partial government shutdown began, the TSA confirmed that it was pausing its TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs, which are popular amongst regular travelers seeking a more seamless security process.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that the agency is “making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions” and prioritizing the “general traveling population” at airports and ports of entry.

However, shortly after this initial announcement, DHS and TSA seemed to walk back this decision, announcing that TSA PreCheck would remain operational, thought that could change.

“At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly,” the TSA wrote in a statement. “Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies.”

Global Entry, however, has remained suspended.

Major U.S. Airlines 'Deeply Concerned'

Last week, Airlines for America (A4A), which represents the major airlines in the United States like Delta, United, American, and Southwest, issued a statement expressing concern about the DHS shutdown ahead of what it expects to be a busy travel season.

In its statement, A4A said that it is expecting a "record-breaking spring travel period," with 171 million passengers expected to fly, which is up four percent from last year. However, the airlines are concerned about the current situation.

“U.S. airlines are ready for the travel rush this spring, but we have grave concerns that millions of travelers are once again being used as a political football by the federal government amid another government shutdown,” said A4A President and CEO Chris Sununu in the statement. “It is past time for Congress to get to the table and strike a deal that ensures TSA and CBP can fully operate and their frontline employees can be paid for the important work they do to keep our skies secure.

“We also are deeply concerned that the Department of Homeland Security has not fully reopened the Global Entry program after suspending it on February 21,” Sununu continued. “There is no need and no data that supports the decision to suspend the Global Entry program, and DHS should act with urgency to reverse course and reopen the Global Entry program. DHS did an about-face and reopened TSA PreCheck lanes—because it is common sense to have these programs fully functioning, especially ahead of spring break travel.”

It's not clear how long the DHS shutdown will last.