Major airlines and travel companies urged Congress on Friday to prevent a partial government shutdown that would leave about 50,000 airport security officers without pay ahead of the busy US spring break travel period.
Transportation Security Administration staff will begin working without pay starting Saturday without an agreement on funding for Homeland Security Department agencies.
“Travelers and the U.S. economy cannot afford to allow essential TSA personnel to work without pay, which increases the risk of unplanned absences and callouts and can ultimately lead to increased wait times and missed or delayed flights,” Airlines for America, US Travel and American Hotel & Lodging Association said in a joint statement.
Last fall, airport security researchers went without pay for 43 days.
In a departure from last fall’s shutdown, Congress has passed legislation to fund air traffic control operations through September 30.
The absence of air traffic controllers led to tens of thousands of flight cancellations and delays after Oct. 1, when the shutdown began and prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to impose significant flight restrictions at 40 major airports.
During the shutdown last year, the Department of Homeland Security said it would pay more than 70,000 law enforcement officers in DHS, including those from CBP, ICE, the Secret Service and TSA. DHS said in October that TSA federal air marshals would be paid, but not airport screening officers.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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