TSA Officers Working Without Pay at U.S. Airports Amid DHS Shutdown

Lead

A lapse in funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that began early Saturday has left most Transportation Security Administration officers working without pay at airports nationwide. The lapse affects the agency that screens passengers and baggage, reviving concerns from a 43-day federal shutdown that disrupted travel last year. While air traffic controllers at the FAA remain paid because other federal funding is intact through Sept. 30, aviation groups warn that prolonged DHS funding gaps could lengthen security lines and increase the risk of travel delays. Travelers are being advised to plan extra time and monitor official updates.

Key Takeaways

• About 95% of TSA staff are classified as essential under DHS contingency plans and are required to continue working despite the funding lapse.
• Last year’s government shutdown lasted 43 days and ended Nov. 12; TSA officers also worked without pay during that period.
• FAA air traffic controllers are not affected because the rest of federal funding remains in place through Sept. 30, lowering the immediate risk of mass cancellations.
• Industry groups warn that extended DHS appropriations lapses raise the probability of longer security lines and potential flight delays during busy travel periods.
• Even small, unscheduled absences can create bottlenecks at smaller airports that operate a single security checkpoint.
• Travelers are urged to check airport security wait-time tools, pack to avoid prohibited items, and arrive earlier than usual.

Background

The Department of Homeland Security funds operations that include TSA screening, Customs and Border Protection, and other security functions. When DHS funding lapses, contingency plans designate certain employees as essential to maintain core public-safety operations. In the previous extended shutdown, aviation operations gradually degraded: airports experienced checkpoint closures and airlines were ordered to pare back domestic schedules about a month into the lapse.

Political disagreement over immigration policy has been central to the current impasse, with Democratic lawmakers linking further DHS funding to legislative changes they seek on federal immigration enforcement. The White House and congressional Democrats had been negotiating ahead of a scheduled congressional recess, but no agreement was reached before lawmakers left Washington; both chambers have signaled they could return if a deal is struck.

Main Event

Funding for DHS expired at midnight, triggering contingency plans that keep most TSA officers on duty without pay. The agency’s plan categorizes approximately 95% of its workforce as essential, meaning checkpoints remain staffed but officers will not receive paychecks until appropriations are restored. That mirrors the operational stance taken during last year’s 43-day shutdown.

Because the broader federal budget remains in effect through Sept. 30, the Federal Aviation Administration will continue paying air traffic controllers, reducing the likelihood of immediate, widespread flight cancellations tied to controller absences. Aviation experts nonetheless caution that screening slowdowns can ripple into delays if airlines hold departures to allow late passengers to clear security.

Airport-level impacts will vary. Major hubs with multiple checkpoints and staffing flexibility are less likely to see abrupt closures, while small or regional airports that operate a single screening lane can become vulnerable if even a handful of officers are absent. Trade groups for hotels, airlines and travel companies have publicly warned that prolonged unpaid duty increases the risk of unscheduled absences and longer lines.

Analysis & Implications

Operationally, the presence of paid air traffic control staff stabilizes a key piece of the aviation system, but screening is a separate choke point. If TSA staffing erodes due to morale, financial pressure on workers, or callouts, screening throughput could decline, producing longer passenger wait times and potential impacts to on-time performance. That effect tends to be uneven and can emerge quickly at constrained airports.

Economically, disruptions during peak travel windows—such as spring break—could amplify losses for carriers, airports and downstream hospitality sectors. Industry statements highlight the risk that unpaid essential workers pose to passenger flow; even incremental increases in delay rates can cascade into missed connections and rebooking costs that ripple through the travel ecosystem.

Politically, the shutdown underscores the leverage and trade-offs in appropriations fights that tie policy priorities to must-pass funding. Democrats’ insistence on immigration-related concessions reflects broader national debates; the longer negotiations continue, the greater the chance that operational stress translates into visible traveler pain and political pressure to resolve funding.

Comparison & Data

This table highlights differences in scope and timing. The key distinction today is that other federal appropriations remain active through Sept. 30, preserving controller pay and diminishing immediate risk of mass cancellations tied to air traffic control shortages. However, screening bottlenecks remain a primary vulnerability.

Reactions & Quotes

It’s still fresh in their minds and potentially their pocketbooks.

John Rose, Chief Risk Officer, Altour (private sector travel management)

Rose was referring to how recent memory of the prior shutdown may accelerate strain in the workforce and influence absence patterns. Industry groups combined to urge a quick resolution to protect travelers and the economy.

Travelers and the U.S. economy cannot afford to have essential TSA personnel working without pay, which increases the risk of unscheduled absences and ultimately can lead to higher wait times and missed or delayed flights.

Joint statement, U.S. Travel, Airlines for America, American Hotel & Lodging Association (industry groups)

Their statement framed the disruption as both a traveler-service and economic risk, urging lawmakers to restore DHS appropriations promptly.

Unconfirmed

• Whether airlines will order system-wide cuts to domestic schedules similar to last year is not confirmed and would depend on how staffing and delays evolve over days to weeks.
• Claims that specific checkpoints will be closed immediately at particular airports are not independently verified; closures historically arise when local staffing falls below operational thresholds.
• Any rapid return-to-work or emergency pay authorization from Congress or the White House remains contingent until lawmakers reach an agreement or issue special appropriations.

Bottom Line

The current DHS funding lapse places most TSA officers on unpaid duty, which elevates the risk of longer security lines and localized screening bottlenecks even as FAA controllers continue to be paid. Travelers should treat security-screening as the primary potential pinch point and build extra time into itineraries, especially at smaller airports where redundancy is limited.

Resolve depends on congressional action and negotiations tied to immigration policy demands; the longer the lapse endures, the greater the chance that operational strains translate into visible travel disruptions. Monitor official TSA and airport wait-time tools, follow packing rules to speed screening, and expect airlines to make tactical adjustments if screening delays become widespread.

Sources

• AP News (news report summarizing current DHS funding lapse and industry reaction)
• Transportation Security Administration — What Can I Bring? (official TSA guidance on carry-on and checked item restrictions)
• Department of Homeland Security — Contingency Plans (official DHS contingency planning framework)
• U.S. Travel Association (industry organization; source of joint industry statement)