Summer 2026 saw unprecedented levels of air travel, with Labor Day weekend poised to be the busiest in history. Meanwhile, Congress is nearing another round of budget discussions, where threats of a government shutdown loom due to political disagreements. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the airline industry are understandably concerned. Previous shutdowns have strained aviation operations, and now with rising fuel costs from international conflicts, the financial pressure on airlines intensifies. Yet Congress has not protected the FAA from future funding issues, despite the pressing need for consistent aviation funding.
The agency responsible for managing U.S. airspace should not face funding threats every time Congress approaches budget deadlines. Air traffic controllers, TSA officers, and Customs and Border Patrol personnel should not become political tools in Washington. Last year’s holiday travelers witnessed the severe disruptions from the 2025 shutdown: hours in TSA lines, frequent flight delays, and cancellations. Staffing shortages led to 15,600 flight delays and 7,100 cancellations, affecting over six million passengers. Combined with the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, the economic impact surpassed $6 billion.
Shutdowns force essential personnel, such as air traffic controllers, TSA officers, and Customs and Border Protection officers, to continue working without pay. They eventually get back pay, but everyday expenses remain unmet. Accumulating missed paychecks lead to employee callouts and burnout, leaving aviation facilities understaffed. The FAA, which is already short on controllers, struggles to maintain normal operations, resulting in reduced flights and widespread delays across airspace.
The ripple effect creates further complications, impacting flight schedules, crew working hours, and the positioning of aircraft, all while TSA and Customs and Border Patrol officer shortages extend security and customs processing times. Cargo carriers, utilizing the same airspace and personnel, face delays as well. Continuous shutdowns drive personnel away from federal aviation jobs. Over a thousand TSA officers have left, and potential air traffic controllers reconsider careers crippled by unrelated political conflicts.
For the short term, Congress should finalize the fiscal year 2027 appropriations process and fully fund federal aviation programs promptly. If needed, a continuing resolution should prevent funding lapses. But these measures are merely survival tactics. The Airport and Airway Trust Fund already collects fees from aviation users. Granting the FAA access to these funds during financial lapses can ensure payment to controllers and continuity in operations, without compromising Congress’s oversight. TSA and Customs and Border Patrol should also be able to use existing fees for salary continuity.
Aviation is an interconnected system. Shielding the FAA alone is insufficient if security checkpoints and customs operations remain at risk. The impact of Congress’s budget conflicts reaching airports needs no repeating. Implementing existing aviation funds as financial stability safeguards is logical. Congress must prioritize seamless regular-order appropriations now and secure long-term stability through access to existing funds. The continuity of airspace operations should not hinge on Congress meeting budget deadlines.
Ken Blackwell is the chair of Election Integrity at the America First Policy Institute, a former Ohio Secretary of State, ex-Mayor of Cincinnati, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, and Co-Chairman of the U.S. Census Monitoring Board.
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