US Airlines Warn of Disruption as DHS Suspends PreCheck, Global Entry During Shutdown – The Times of India

Major US airlines have expressed concerns about travel disruptions after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decided to temporarily suspend its PreCheck and Global Entry programs due to an ongoing government shutdown.The suspension will take effect from 6am (11am GMT) on Sunday, days after a partial shutdown began after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms, Reuters news agency reported.Airlines said travelers were given very little advance warning of the move, leaving many with little time to adjust their travel plans. “Airlines for America is deeply concerned that… the traveling public will once again be used as a political football amid another government shutdown,” CEO Chris Sununu said, urging Congress to “get a deal done.”Sununu added that a similar shutdown last fall caused losses of $6.1 billion in the travel and related sectors.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said airport and border agencies would prioritize general passenger traffic while suspending “courtesy and special privilege escorts.”“We are making difficult but necessary decisions about personnel and resources to limit the damage,” she said in a DHS statement.The suspension is part of emergency measures DHS took to reallocate staffing after Congress failed to approve additional funding, according to a Washington Post report.The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said the PreCheck program had more than 20 million active members by 2024, while the total number of vetted travelers in DHS programs, including Global Entry, exceeded 40 million.PreCheck allows approved passengers to use dedicated fast-track security lines at U.S. airports, while Global Entry expedites customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk international travelers entering the United States.The move follows orders from the Trump administration last week directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to suspend the deployment of emergency responders to disaster-hit areas during the shutdown.