“It’s inexcusable that our security agents, our frontline agents, that are essential to what we do, are not being paid, and it’s ridiculous to see them being used as political chips,” he said.
“It’s outrageous,” Bastian said of TSA workers not being paid. “We got a war going on. Let’s get our people, that are people that are essential to our security, paid.”
Delta did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
“During the last government shutdown, the longest in American history, TSA officers went through 3.5 pay periods without a paycheck. Some were evicted. Some had their cars repossessed. Some had to send their children to live with relatives because they could no longer afford childcare,” Kelley said in a statement to Fortune. “Now, politicians are putting them through it again, and the long lines travelers are starting to see are a direct result.”
Bastian, for his part, downplayed any effect of the partial shutdown on long lines or delays for passengers, saying, “we’ll figure that out.” The real issue, he said, is the unfairness in how security agents are being treated.
“These people miss paychecks. Just a few months ago, they’re missing paychecks again,” he said. “It’s outrageous.”
