Delta Air Lines has broken its public silence over the ongoing federal government shutdown, urging Congress to end the impasse as travel operations across the country begin to strain under staffing shortages and delayed paychecks for federal workers.

Delta Calls On Congress To End Government Shutdown As TSA Closures Hit Premium Passenger

With the shutdown now stretching into its second month, the effects on aviation are becoming increasingly visible. Air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) staff are working without pay. Wait times are lengthening, and the reliability of the air traffic network is beginning to erode.

Delta, which carries more passengers daily than any other U.S. airline, is now publicly calling for an end to the standoff.

“Delta Air Lines implores Congress to immediately pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government so that our air traffic controllers, TSA and CBP officers charged with the safety and efficiency of our national airspace can collect the paychecks they deserve. Missed paychecks only increase the stress on these essential workers, many of whom are already working mandatory overtime to keep our skies safe and secure. It’s thanks to these federal employees that Delta is able to carry more than 500,000 daily customers on 5,000 daily flights. A system under stress must be slowed down, reducing efficiency and causing delays for the millions of people who take to the skies every day.”

While Delta has avoided the sharper partisan language of American and United (which I’ll cover separately),  imploring Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution is parroting the Republican position on the shutdown.

Delta’s statement adds to growing pressure from the travel industry. Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that nearly half of all flight delays are now tied to controller shortages, with many employees taking second jobs to stay afloat. The union representing air traffic controllers has also voiced concerns that safety margins could erode if the shutdown persists.

Delta’s Timing…

The timing of Delta’s appeal is notable. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, in recent days, TSA checkpoint staffing has dropped in key hubs, including Atlanta (ATL), which serves as Delta’s largest operation. Longer screening lines and sporadic controller absences have created rolling delays across the network. While flight operations remain mostly stable, the cracks are widening, and travelers are beginning to notice.

Specifically, Delta One check-in facilities in Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK) feature separate, private security checkpoints. Those have been shut down due to staffing shortages (presumably, when TSA agents call in sick, those are the first to be shut down).

Delta says, “We’re working with our TSA partners in these locations to have customers screened through other checkpoints.”

CONCLUSION

I’m not convinced it was WSJ story that prompted the statement above, but Delta is publicly calling on the government to reopen, reflecting the GOP position that a clean continuing resolution (i.e., without the healthcare subsidy riders) be passed. That requires 60 votes in the Senate…Republicans only have 53 seats. The shutdown of VIP security screenings may be viewed as the ultimate first world problem, but it is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the looming travel chaos that awaits if the shutdown continues.

image: Delta One check-in facility at LAX