Each day, more than three million passengers fly across American airspace.^[1] Whether traveling for business or leisure, every person has the same goal in mind—to arrive at their destination swiftly and safely. Despite the importance of the airline industry to American life, the uncomfortable truth is that our aviation system is nosediving: from security checkpoints, to the tarmac, to the aircraft themselves.

This article is the first in a three part series detailing the turbulence threatening the modern aviation ecosystem. From the perspective of the everyday traveler, each article examines one major problem that travelers face, this problem’s impact on the broader airline industry, as well as the policy solutions that federal and state governments should implement.

This first article focuses on airport security checkpoints and analyzes why their wait times expand during federal government shutdowns, disturbing travelers, TSA agents, and the broader industry. Most people are familiar with the security screening process: before boarding, all passengers must pass through metal detectors, x-ray scanners, and document verification stations designed with passenger safety in mind. However, instead of providing assurance, airport security checkpoints have become a source of anxiety for passengers who fear that historically long wait times could cause them to miss their flights.^[2]

How Security Checkpoints Became a Travel Liability

Rise in Government Shutdowns

Lengthy security checkpoint lines can be traced back to Washington, where members of Congress must—and recently could not—approve a federal budget. In the 1970s, Congress passed a budget reform law that transformed the way budgets are approved, reducing the president’s role and enhancing Congress’.^[3] Today, federal budget and appropriations decisions require a majority vote in the House of Representatives and sixty votes in the Senate.^[4]

When Congress cannot come to an agreement, agencies and programs that depend on federal funding may cease operations or continue operating without paying their employees,^[5] a situation known as a government shutdown. During a shutdown, employees classified as “non-essential” are furloughed, meaning their work is paused, while “essential” employees must continue to work.^[6] Typically, both essential and non-essential employees are not paid during shutdowns and receive back pay after a shutdown ends.^[7]

While government shutdowns have historically been infrequent, Congress has begun to use the federal budget approval process as a political tool,^[8] transforming budget debates into “ideological showdowns” with members refusing to approve proposed budgets based on other political disagreements.^[9] As of September 2025, the United States had experienced only five multi-day government shutdowns over the last thirty years.^[10] In the eight months that followed, the country experienced three multi-day shutdowns. First, in October 2025, Congress caused a forty-three day full government shutdown that impacted every federal department and agency.^[11] Then, in February 2026, Congress caused a seventy-six day partial government shutdown that impacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), becoming the longest shutdown in American history.^[12]

Government Shutdowns, Unpaid Federal Workers, and Lengthy Security Lines

Airport security checkpoints are operated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an agency within the DHS.^[13] Similar to military personnel and law enforcement officials,^[14] TSA agents are classified as “essential” employees and are expected to continue working during government shutdowns,^[15] even when their pay is paused. They were expected to work without paychecks during both the 2025 full shutdown and the 2026 partial shutdown that affected DHS, the department responsible for paying their salaries.^[16] The 2026 payment freeze impacted 100,000 essential DHS employees.^[17] As a result, hundreds of TSA agents quit their jobs,^[18] and thousands more called out of work at record rates.^[19] As staffing shortages worsened, the lines at airport security checkpoints grew to unprecedented lengths.^[20]

The Impact of Government Shutdowns on TSA Agents, Travelers, and Airline Carriers

Government shutdowns affect more than airport security checkpoint lines—they impact TSA agents, travelers, and the airline industry as a whole.

Working for months without compensation, many TSA agents and their families experienced severe financial and physical hardship. Some agents reported seeking donations, selling plasma, and driving for Uber and DoorDash to make ends meet.^[21] Others reported skipping medications and meals, having their cars repossessed, and facing eviction proceedings^[22] after exhausting their savings.

These issues did not disappear when the government reopened. TSA agents whose vehicles were repossessed will have the event on their record for up to seven years, damaging their credit scores^[23] and ability to secure future loans and mortgages. Evicted TSA agents will have a similar mark on their record, undermining their ability to secure future housing.^[24] Moreover, weeks or months without vital medication and adequate nutrition can have lasting impacts on health.^[25]

Travelers were also seriously impacted. During the 2025 shutdown, travelers took an average of 88,000 fewer trips per day.^[26] This decline has a variety of explanations—some travelers missed their flights while standing in security lines,^[27] others had their itineraries cancelled,^[28] and some chose alternative forms of transportation—including rental cars^[29] and even U-Haul trucks^[30]—to avoid dependence on air travel.

Carriers also suffered major financial losses. Delta Air Lines reported a $200 million loss during the 2025 shutdown^[31] as they managed delays, cancellations, and the costs of rebooking impacted passengers. In all, the 2025 shutdown caused $136.8 million per day in indirect and direct trip-related losses.^[32] These figures do not even include the recent and historically long 2026 government shutdown, which likely burdened travelers, agents, and carriers with millions of dollars in additional costs.

Supporting TSA Agents During Government Shutdowns

Congress and state governments must act to protect federal workers during government shutdowns.

The most effective solution would be for Congress to continue paying TSA agents during government shutdowns. If TSA agents were no longer required to work for weeks or months without routine paychecks, they would be less likely to call out of work or leave their positions in pursuit of alternatives. Retaining TSA agents would reduce staffing shortages, and, in turn, cut down the lengthy security checkpoint delays that impact travelers and the broader airline industry.

Legislation to compensate federal workers during a government shutdown enjoys immense public support—more than 75 percent of Americans believe that TSA agents should be paid, even during a shutdown.^[33] After all, if members of Congress continue to receive paychecks during the government shutdowns they cause,^[34] the federal workers relying on them should also be paid.

If Congress is unwilling to pay workers during a shutdown, it should pass other recently introduced laws designed to protect federal workers. For example, in 2025, members of Congress proposed the Help FEDS Act,^[35] legislation that would provide federal employees required to work during a government shutdown with a state-funded loan to replace their salary. Under the law, federal employees would apply for and receive unemployment compensation through their home state during a shutdown,^[36] allowing TSA agents to pay their bills while remaining in their jobs. Once the government shutdown concludes and federal employees receive their backpay, they would be required to repay their home state for any unemployment compensation they received,^[37] preventing federal employees from being unduly compensated and ensuring states recoup any funds provided to federal workers. Additionally, in 2025, the Senate introduced the Federal Employees Civil Relief Act, legislation that would temporarily restrict evictions, foreclosures, and the enforcement of liens against impacted federal employees.^[38] While this solution is not as comprehensive as continued pay for TSA agents during a shutdown, for it would not cover food, medical bills, or other daily necessities, it would provide agents with some relief during periods of government-induced financial uncertainty during which they could miss regular car or rental payments.

Given the lack of federal protections, select state governments have introduced policies that provide TSA agents with financial relief during government shutdowns. Maine^[39] and Maryland^[40] were among the first states to provide no-interest loans to essential employees required to work during government shutdowns, essentially implementing the Help FEDS Act’s approach on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, these programs have limited resources to dispense—for example, Maryland’s Federal Shutdown Loan Program provides federal employees with no more than $700.^[41] If Congress cannot agree to pay TSA agents during government shutdowns, the ideal solution, state legislatures should focus on implementing similar programs that provide federal workers with additional compensation.

Conclusion

The politicization of the federal budget has left congressional Democrats and Republicans at multiple recent and historically lengthy standstills, freezing funding for TSA agents’ and other essential federal workers’ salaries for weeks and even months at a time. After working without regular paychecks and insufficient financial support from federal or state governments, thousands of TSA agents called out or quit their jobs, resulting in lengthy airport security lines.

Government shutdowns and their consequences impacted travelers, TSA agents, and airline carriers alike. Travelers missed their flights, had their itineraries delayed or cancelled, and sought alternative modes of transportation to avoid air travel. Airline carriers lost millions of dollars accommodating delays, cancellations, and the rebooking of disturbed passengers. TSA agents frantically searched for new jobs, burned through savings, and missed everything from meals to rent payments as their assets depleted.

To address the impact of government shutdowns on the broader airline industry, federal and state governments must act on behalf of TSA agents and other essential federal employees. Principally, Congress should pass legislation mandating the continued payment of TSA agents during government shutdowns. If Congress cannot come to such an agreement, it should pass other policies to support TSA agents during periods of financial instability, including the Help FEDS Act and the Federal Employees Civil Relief Act. Given the lack of federal progress, state legislatures should implement similar financial and legal protections to protect their own essential workers, although congressional action would likely be the most effective response.

The entire purpose of airport security checkpoints is to detect and neutralize threats to Americans. Now, our federal government must act—or risk becoming one of them.

^[1] Federal Aviation Administration, Air Traffic By The Numbers (Washington, DC: Federal Aviation Administration, July 30, 2025), https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/by_the_numbers

^[2] Natalie Neysa Alund, “Airport wait times are longest in TSA history, agency says,” USA Today, March 25 2026, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/03/25/tsa-line-airport-wait-times-highest-in-history/89314232007/

^[3] Nora Delaney, “Explainer: Why government shutdowns keep happening in the United States,” Harvard Kennedy School, October 8, 2025, https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/democracy-governance/explainer-why-government-shutdowns-keep

^[4] Kelly Whitener, “Senate Voting Rules and Budget Reconciliation Explained (Part 1),” Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families, January 25, 2021, https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2021/01/25/senate-voting-rules-and-budget-reconciliation-explained/

^[5] “Introduction to the Federal Budget Process,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, October 28, 2024, https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/introduction-to-the-federal-budget-process

^[6] Saman Shafiq, “What does it mean to be furloughed? What to know as government shutdown looms,” USA Today, September 30, 2025, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/30/furloughed-meaning-government-shutdown/86333861007/

^[7] Ibid.

^[8] Dan Shortridge, “Five insights into the history of government shutdowns,” Penn Today, October 1, 2025, https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/five-insights-history-government-shutdowns-brent-cebul-penn-federal

^[9] Ibid.

^[10] Lindsey Cormack and William Bianco, “Government Shutdowns: What, How, Why,” EverythingPolicy, October 1, 2025, https://www.everythingpolicy.org/policy-briefs/government-shutdowns-what-how-why

^[11] Anthony Zurcher and Natalie Sherman, “Is the US government shutdown over, and why did it happen?,” BBC, November 14, 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrj1znp0pyo

^[12] Max Matza, “Partial government shutdown becomes the longest in US history,” BBC, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyv1qpzq5v7o; Jennifer Scholtes and Katherine Tully-McManus, “Congress ends record-shattering DHS shutdown,” POLITICO, April 30, 2026, https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/30/congress-ends-record-shattering-dhs-shutdown-00900777

^[13] Bryan Metzger, “Why TSA agents aren’t getting paid right now — and what it will take to change that,” Business Insider, March 17, 2026, https://www.businessinsider.com/why-tsa-agents-not-paid-right-homeland-security-shutdown-2026-3

^[14] Saman Shafiq, “What does it mean to be furloughed? What to know as government shutdown looms”

^[15] Zach Wichter, “Is TSA still operating during the shutdown? What air travelers need to know.,” USA Today, October 1, 2025, https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2025/10/01/tsa-security-screening-government-shutdown/86458465007/

^[16] Bryan Metzger, “Why TSA agents aren’t getting paid right now — and what it will take to change that”

^[17] Anna Giaritelli, “DHS: 100,000 employees unpaid amid shutdown,” Washington Examiner, March 24, 2026, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/national-security/4502184/dhs-100000-employees-unpaid-amid-shutdown/#google_vignette

^[18] Chantelle Lee, “The DHS Shutdown Is Over, But Its Impact on the TSA—and Air Travel—May Persist”, TIME, May 1, 2026, https://time.com/article/2026/05/01/dhs-shutdown-tsa-air-travel-impact-staffing/

^[19] Ayesha Ali and Sam Sweeney, “TSA says nearly 10% of its officers called out sick Tuesday,” ABC News, March 18, 2026, https://abcnews.com/US/10-tsa-officers-country-called-sick-tuesday-data/story?id=131188671; Chris Hippensteel, Sonia A. Rao, and JoAnna Daemmrich, “Record Number of T.S.A. Employees Called Out on Friday,” New York Times, March 28, 2026, https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/28/us/tsa-employees-airports-wait-times.html

^[20] Natalie Neysa Alund, “Airport wait times are longest in TSA history, agency says”

^[21] Matt Hladik, “3 Drastic Ways TSA Agents Are Making Money Right Now,” Men’s Journal, March 22, 2026, https://www.mensjournal.com/news/3-drastic-ways-tsa-agents-are-making-money-right-now

^[22] Elizabeth Wolfe, Taylor Galgano, and Tami Luhby, “Skipped meals, eviction notices and repo’d cars: TSA workers desperately await checks after Trump and Senate push for funding,” CNN, March 27, 2026, https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/27/us/tsa-workers-paycheck-struggles

^[23] “What is repossession, and how does it impact your credit?,” Capital One, January 16, 2025, https://www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/money-management/repossession-and-credit/

^[24] “Removing housing barriers through record relief,” National Center for State Courts, December 8, 2025, https://www.ncsc.org/resources-courts/removing-housing-barriers-through-record-relief

^[25] Marcus M. Reidenberg, “Adverse Effects of Suddenly Stopping a Medicine,” Weill Medical College of Cornell University, May 23, 2011, https://pre.weill.cornell.edu/cert/patients/suddenly_stopping_medicine.html; Michael Precker, “Food insecurity’s long-term health consequences,” American Heart Association, September 22, 2021, https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/09/22/food-insecuritys-long-term-health-consequences

^[26] Joshua Friedlander, “The Government Shutdown’s $6 Billion Toll on Travel and the U.S. Economy,” U.S. Travel Association, January 7, 2026, https://www.ustravel.org/news/government-shutdowns-6-billion-toll-travel-and-us-economy

^[27] Bill Chappell, “Stuck in a long TSA line? Here are some strategies if you need to rebook your flight,” NPR, March 28, 2026, https://www.npr.org/2026/03/28/nx-s1-5762756/airport-lines-tsa-shutdown-delays-flights-rebooking

^[28] Rebecca Cohen and Corky Siemaszko, “Flight cancellations inch up to 6% day after Senate passes bill to end shutdown,” NBC, November 11, 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/flight-cancellations-inch-6-one-day-senate-passes-bill-end-shutdown-rcna243180

^[29] Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated Press, “Some desperate travelers turn to U-Haul as the government shutdown cuts flights and sends car rentals soaring,” Fortune, November 7, 2025, https://fortune.com/2025/11/07/desperate-travelers-u-haul-government-shutdown-flights-car-rentals-amtrak-bus-service/

^[30] Ibid.

^[31] Rajesh Kumar Singh and Anshuman Tripathy, “Delta sees $200 million profit hit from US government shutdown,” Reuters, December 3, 2025, https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/sustainable-finance-reporting/delta-air-flags-200-million-profit-hit-us-government-shutdown-2025-12-03/

^[32] “IMPACTS OF THE 2025 US GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ON TRAVEL,” Tourism Economics, December 2025, https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/2026-01/Government%20Shutdown%20Travel%20Impacts%20Oxford%20US%20Travel%20Dec%202025.pdf

^[33] “Americans Dissatisfied with Travel Security Experience; Demand 9/11 Passenger Security Fee Put Back Where It Belongs,” U.S. Travel Association, December 8, 2025, https://www.ustravel.org/press/americans-dissatisfied-travel-security-experience-demand-911-passenger-security-fee-put-back

^[34] Caitlin Yilek and Stefan Becket, “Does Congress get paid during a government shutdown?,” CBS News, October 31, 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-2025-does-congress-get-paid/

^[35]  H.R. 5572, 119th Cong. (2025), https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5572/text

^[36] Ibid.

^[37] Ibid.

^[38] S. 2982, 119th Cong. (2025), https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2982

^[39] Finance Authority of Maine, Government Shutdown Loan Guarantee Program (Maine: Finance Authority of Maine), https://www.famemaine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Govt-Shutdown-Loan-Guarantee-Program-Slide-Deck.pdf

^[40] State of Maryland, Federal Loan Shutdown Program (Maryland: State of Maryland), https://labor.maryland.gov/federalworkers/shutdownloan/

^[41] Ibid.