United CEO urges Congress to end shutdown quickly

The CEO of United Airlines has a single demand for Congress.

In a CBS News conversation aired on Tuesday, United CEO Scott Kirby described it as "unacceptable" that US lawmakers have not finalized a deal on Department of Homeland Security funding.

"We are holding flights, but with a five-hour wait, we can't hold for every passenger," Kirby remarked.

He expressed optimism that the situation would resolve soon.

"It's just absurd to me that it needs to worsen before an agreement is reached," he remarked. "Please finalize the deal quickly."

The Transportation Security Administration staff are either working without receiving payment or are opting out entirely due to a partial government closure that began on February 14.

The closure halted funding for most of the DHS, causing extensive delays for passengers navigating airport security.

TSA employee absences soared beyond 3,450 over the weekend, and numerous staff have quit, according to DHS data shared with Business Insider.

In January, a dispute arose in Congress over the DHS funding package, as Democratic legislators advocated for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renée Good.

Although the remainder of the government eventually received funding, lawmakers have not yet agreed on DHS funding, including support for TSA.

Earlier this month, leading airline executives such as Delta Air Lines, Alaska Air Group, United, and Southwest Airlines, in an open letter, criticised Congress, calling air travel a "political football amid another government shutdown."

They added that Americans are "weary of long waits at airports, travel delays, and flight cancellations resulting from repeated shutdowns."

Starting Monday, ICE agents started deploying to some airports to address staffing shortages.

The urgency for a resolution is rising, and a deadline of March 27 might accelerate negotiations.

Kirby's remarks on TSA funding coincide with an industry-wide increase in flight costs.

Airlines like Qantas and Air France-KLM have stated they are increasing their fares due to soaring fuel prices.

"Ticket prices will rise, and we'll likely be less profitable in the near future," United's Kirby told CBS. "Airfare has surged about 15% to 20% over the past month."

Airlines have also had to adjust flight routes to evade flying over Gulf nations.