WASHINGTON (March 5, 2026)—As federal transportation security workers face their first $0 paycheck of the current government shutdown, America’s leading travel organizations—the U.S. Travel Association, Airlines for America, the American Association of Airport Executives, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association—launched the “Pay Federal Aviation Workers” campaign. The campaign is designed to encourage Americans to urge Congress to pass legislation ensuring that essential federal aviation employees continue to receive pay during government shutdowns.
The travel industry is urging Congress to immediately fully reopen the government and pay transportation security officers (including TSA and CBP) and to pass targeted legislation to prevent these workers from being used as leverage in future funding disputes.
Leaders from the travel associations called on Congress to pass the Aviation Funding Solvency Act and the Aviation Funding Stability Act, which would ensure air traffic controllers are paid regardless of the government’s funding status, as well as the Keep America Flying Act, which would provide the same protections to TSA officers who are tasked every day with keeping Americans safe in the skies.
Statements From Leadership
Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Travel Association, said, “TSA officers screen nearly a billion passengers a year. With an average salary of around $35,000, these are workers who simply cannot afford to miss a paycheck. Right now, Congress is allowing them to do that work without one. Every time Washington fails to fund the government, these essential workers pay the price. So do travelers. So does the economy. That is why America’s travel industry has come together, because this workforce is too important, and the stakes are too high, for this to keep happening.”
Christopher T. Sununu, president and chief executive officer of Airlines for America, said, “At this time of record air travel, airlines have done their part to add flights and seats to their schedules to accommodate the record demand—it’s past time for the government to do its part and ensure that TSA and CBP employees are paid for the job they do day in and day out. Congress must get to the table and act with urgency to get a deal done that ensures frontline agencies can fully operate and employees can get the paychecks they earn for the important work they do to keep our skies secure.”
Todd Hauptli, president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), said, “For the third time in five months, TSA screeners are being asked to perform their jobs without pay because Washington can’t find a way to do its job. That’s wrong, and dedicated screeners shouldn’t have to pay the price for continued Washington dysfunction. These are people who work hard, and who are being forced, in some cases, to find second jobs or rely on donations to buy gas or groceries or meet basic needs. AAAE calls on Congress to enact legislation to ensure that federal employees—whether it’s transportation security officers, FAA air traffic controllers, or other critical workers who keep our nation’s aviation system safe, secure, and efficient—are paid during any future shutdown so that they will never again miss a paycheck due to politics.”
Additional Details
The U.S. travel industry supports more than 15 million American jobs and contributes more than $2.9 trillion to the U.S. economy annually. The 43-day shutdown last fall resulted in more than 9,000 flights being delayed or canceled, significantly impacting six million travelers and causing $6.1 billion in losses across the travel industry and related sectors.
The industry groups said the campaign is intended to highlight the role aviation security personnel play in maintaining passenger safety and supporting the broader travel economy, particularly as travel demand continues to grow. They are urging Congress to end the shutdown and act on bipartisan legislation that would ensure air traffic controllers and TSA officers are paid, regardless of future funding disruptions.