Canceled.
The worst-case scenario for any airline passenger just hit thousands of travelers at once.
Spirit Airlines customers woke up to a blunt message inside the airline’s app: every flight is canceled, effective immediately.
The message read in part that passengers should not go to the airport under any circumstances. It also made clear the airline cannot help rebook travelers on other carriers, leaving many scrambling for alternatives on their own. Instead, customers were told refunds would be automatically issued back to the original form of payment for flights purchased with a credit or debit card.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1088575 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-02-at-7.55.19-AM-296x576.png" alt="" width="296" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-02-at-7.55.19-AM-296x576.png 296w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-02-at-7.55.19-AM-154x300.png 154w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-02-at-7.55.19-AM.png 598w" sizes=" (max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px" /></div>
The message made one thing clear. There is no backup plan.
The collapse comes just days after a last-ditch effort to save the airline fell apart. A roughly $500 million bailout push failed after disagreements between the Trump administration and key bondholders stalled any deal.
President Donald Trump had signaled the administration was at least open to stepping in. “We’re looking at it,” Trump said Friday. “If we can do it, we’d do it.”
That window has now closed.
Industry groups had also been pushing for a much larger safety net, requesting as much as $2.5 billion in temporary federal support for struggling low-cost carriers. The pitch was simple. Without help, airlines like Spirit could collapse, cutting competition and driving up prices.
That warning is no longer hypothetical.
The budget carrier had been flashing warning signs for months. By the end of the week, it was clear the company’s last lifeline was barely hanging on. Overnight, that uncertainty turned into reality.
For travelers, the fallout is immediate.
Flights are gone. Plans are blown up. And for many, the scramble to find a replacement just got a lot more expensive.
Other major carriers are already stepping in to pick up the pieces. American Airlines said early Saturday it is rolling out “rescue fares” for stranded Spirit Airlines customers on overlapping routes, while also looking to add larger aircraft and extra flights where possible. The airline said it serves the vast majority of Spirit’s network and is working with the Department of Transportation to help ease the disruption. Travelers are being urged to rebook directly through American’s app or website, while displaced Spirit crew members are also being offered travel support and potential job opportunities as the airline ramps up recruiting efforts.
The shutdown marks a stunning collapse for the 34-year-old company that once built its brand on rock-bottom fares and no-frills travel.
For years, Spirit Airlines positioned itself as the go-to option for cheap domestic flights, even as complaints about fees, delays, and customer experience piled up.
The ripple effects could hit quickly. With one of the country’s most aggressive low-cost carriers suddenly gone, competition shrinks, and prices could climb, especially on routes where Spirit helped keep fares low.
Spirit Airlines said refunds will be processed automatically, but offered little else in terms of support. Travelers hoping to salvage their trips will now have to navigate other airlines, often at significantly higher prices.
For thousands of passengers, the message could not have been clearer.
Do not go to the airport.

Spirit_Money_Oxygen

Spirit Airlines Officially Shuts Down. See The Message Stranded Customers Woke Up To

Air Travel

Airlines

President Trump

Spirit Airlines

Travel

The first commercial flight from the United States to Venezuela since 2019 took off from Miami International Airport on Thursday morning, a win for the Trump administration as the president reshapes Washington&#8217;s relationship with Caracas.
The American Airlines plane destined for Caracas was given a water salute by fire engines on the tarmac before it took off from Miami at around 10:00 a.m. ET. Flight AA3599 was operated by Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines. The plane was one of the airline&#8217;s America 250 commemorative aircraft.
&#8220;For nearly 7 years there have been no direct commercial flights between the U.S. and Venezuela,&#8221; the State Department said. &#8220;Under President Trump we&#8217;re changing that today. Flights between Miami and Caracas restored.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
For nearly 7 years there have been no direct commercial flights between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Under President Trump we&#8217;re changing that today. Flights between Miami and Caracas restored. <a href="https://t.co/3fsLVwWHQQ">pic.twitter.com/3fsLVwWHQQ</a>
— Department of State (@StateDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/2049870663138083123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Flight AA3599 is expected to arrive in Caracas just after 1:20 p.m. local time. The plane will return to Florida later Thursday afternoon, the Associated Press <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/flights-resume-from-miami-to-caracas-venezuela-for-the-first-time-in-7-years/3803307/">reported</a>. Miami resident Lennart Ochoa said he was excited for the reopening of commercial air travel between the two countries.
“I’m very excited to go and see the family and I’m looking forward to see the country,” Ochoa said, according to the AP.
Thursday&#8217;s flight from the United States to Venezuela comes less than five months after U.S. forces captured dictator Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. In March, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article314795646.html">praised</a> acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez and said his administration&#8217;s relationship with Venezuela had greatly improved after the operation to capture Maduro.
The Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/15/politics/dhs-suspends-venezuela-flights">suspended</a> air travel between the United States and Venezuela in 2019 during Trump&#8217;s first term &#8220;based on the ongoing political instability and increased tensions in Venezuela.&#8221; Just a few months earlier, the Trump administration sanctioned Venezuela&#8217;s state-run oil company, citing Maduro&#8217;s corruption.
“As a result of the Maduro regime’s inability to govern and perpetuation of lawlessness, it is no longer possible to certify that Venezuela is meeting baseline standards of security,&#8221; a U.S. official told CNN at the time.
The flight to Caracas on Thursday is just the first of many commercial flights to come between the two countries. In the coming months, American Airlines will also offer <a href="https://www.aa.com/en-us/flights-to-venezuela">flights</a> to Caracas from Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York, and Washington, D.C.

American Airlines

Trump Officially Opens Flights To His Favorite South American Country

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Trump Administration

Venezuela

World

Some conservatives are pushing back against a possible federal government deal to avoid Spirit Airlines’ collapse, as the company struggles to emerge from bankruptcy.
The Trump administration is weighing a $500 million bailout that could result in the federal government taking a significant ownership stake in the budget airline, according to the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/trump-administration-nearing-rescue-deal-for-spirit-airlines-2f6a5556?mod=e2tw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a>.
Several Republican lawmakers blasted the idea.
“If Spirit’s creditors or other potential investors don’t think they can run it profitably coming out of its second bankruptcy in under two years, I doubt the US Government can either. Not the best use of taxpayer dollars,” Sen. <a href="https://x.com/SenTomCotton/status/2047075850386804756?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Cotton</a> (R-AR) posted to X on Wednesday.
Sen. <a href="https://x.com/tedcruz/status/2047054442332029439?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ted Cruz</a> (R-TX) described the proposal on social media as “an absolutely TERRIBLE idea.”
“The TARP corporate bailouts were a huge mistake &amp; the government doesn’t know a damn thing about running a failed budget airline (that the Biden admin killed),” he continued, referencing the 2008 recession-era Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Outside groups on the Right also weighed in. Advancing American Freedom, an organization aligned with former Vice President Mike Pence, released a memo slamming a possible deal.
“Why should taxpayers bail out one company that has been uniquely unprepared?” the memo asked. “American families shouldn’t be forced to bail out Spirit and the shareholders or pay the bill to see if the federal government can run an airline.”
Labor groups, however, expressed support for the potential federal assistance. The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), argued that federal intervention could protect jobs and stabilize the airline.
“Federal relief is not a handout,” said Capt. Ryan P. Muller, chair of the Spirit Airlines ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC). “It is a loan that will allow the airline to finish the work that is already well underway, and it is the right call for 14,000 workers, nearly 2,000 pilots, the families who depend on those paychecks, and the millions of passengers who rely on affordable air travel.&#8221;
On the Left, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) blamed the war with Iran for the airline&#8217;s demise.
&#8220;Donald Trump’s war with Iran caused the sky-high fuel prices that finally did Spirit Airlines in. What do the American people get out of this taxpayer bailout? Will the failed airline executives be held accountable?&#8221; Warren <a href="https://x.com/SenWarren/status/2047057083950899338?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X.
The White House has not confirmed whether a bailout is on the table, but pointed to a Biden-era lawsuit that led to the rejection of the Spirit-JetBlue merger.
“Spirit Airlines would be on a much firmer financial footing had the Biden administration not recklessly blocked the airline’s merger with JetBlue,” White House Spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.
President Donald Trump told CNBC’s “<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/21/cnbc-transcript-president-donald-trump-speaks-with-cnbcs-squawk-box-today-.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Squawk Box</a>” that he would prefer a private-sector solution, saying he would &#8220;love somebody to buy Spirit, it’s 14,000 jobs.&#8221;
Economist Peter St. Onge of The Heritage Foundation told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/did-joe-biden-kill-spirit-airlines?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Did+Joe+Biden+Kill+Spirit+Airlines%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> that the merger likely led to the airline&#8217;s decline.
“The main thing that drove them over the edge was blocking the JetBlue merger,&#8221; St. Onge said. &#8220;On the day that it was denied, their stock fell 47%. And the big picture here is that the low-cost carriers can’t pass anything on, right? They have razor-thin margins, like 2 or 3%. So they need scale in order to survive.”

Airplanes Depart

Not Everyone Is On Board With Using Your Money To Bail Out A Failing Airline

Bailouts

Conservatives

Economy

The European Union will urge members to cut their dependence on Middle Eastern jet fuel and look into increasing imports from the U.S., in new guidelines expected next week, an official source told Reuters, as the Iran war disrupts global supply.
The plans, previously unreported and still being finalized, will put a greater focus on self-sufficiency and resilience via Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or synthetic fuels.
European airlines have warned of potential jet fuel shortages within weeks ‌as a result of the Iran war, which could disrupt the summer travel season. Europe is particularly vulnerable as it imports some 30% to 40% of its jet fuel, at least half of that from the Middle East.
The EU&#8217;s non-binding recommendations will emphasize the bloc&#8217;s limitations in increasing jet fuel output domestically and provide guidance on how to handle potential shortages, the source said.
The person asked not to be named because the discussions are ongoing and the draft is not yet finalized. A European Commission spokesperson confirmed plans to present a response to the energy crisis next week, including measures on jet fuels.
Availability of supply &#8220;remains the primary concern,&#8221; the Commission spokesperson said, adding that if supply remained snarled through the Strait of Hormuz, the EU could launch a possible coordinated release of jet fuel stocks.
Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, a key gateway for energy flows from the Gulf, after a ceasefire accord in Lebanon, though U.S. President Donald Trump said a naval blockade remains in place until a deal is sealed with Tehran.
The EU spokesperson said he hoped a resumption of safe passage through the Strait would last, but reflecting the ongoing uncertainty, added: &#8220;Let&#8217;s see.&#8221;
FLIGHT CANCELLATION THREAT GROWS
Flights in Europe could start to be cancelled from the end of May due to a lack of jet fuel, the International Air Transport Association&#8217;s director general Willie Walsh said on Friday. Airlines are cutting flights and grounding some planes.
The source familiar with the EU&#8217;s plans said the document would lay out guidance for airline handling issues in the case of fuel shortages such as losing airport slots due to cancellations and the EU&#8217;s anti-tankering rule, designed to prevent planes from loading extra fuel in cheap locations.
It will clarify whether a fuel shortage can be considered exceptional enough for airlines to avoid paying compensation for cancellations. The source added that the EU has decided airlines&#8217; calls for changes to or the suspension of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and SAF allowances were not justified.
The European Commission also plans to introduce EU-wide mapping of refining capacity for oil products and introduce measures &#8220;to ensure that existing refining capacity is fully utilized and ​maintained,&#8221; a draft proposal earlier seen by Reuters showed.
EUROPEAN IMPORTS OF U.S., NIGERIAN JET FUEL RISE
They will also look at the distribution logistics of increasing the use of U.S. Jet A fuel, traditionally seldom used in Europe because it has a higher freezing point than the European standard. Europe&#8217;s Jet A-1 is better suited to long‑haul, high‑altitude and cold‑temperature operations and is preferred by the military. Jet fuel imports from the U.S. and Nigeria rose sharply in April.
Some of Europe&#8217;s key hubs in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany rely on the NATO-operated CEPS pipeline, which supplies European grade jet fuel. A spokesperson for NATO did not immediately reply to questions about the pipeline&#8217;s logistics.
Airlines are preparing for a potential supply crunch, with the International Energy Agency forecasting jet fuel shortages by June if the region can only replace half of the supplies it normally gets from the ​Middle East.
Some airports have warned of shortages within three weeks if the Strait of ‌Hormuz remains ⁠closed to fuel shipments. The European Commission is expected to warn jet fuel supply could remain limited even if the Strait of Hormuz is unblocked.
(Reporting by Julia Payne and Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Elaine Hardcastle)

Airplane Fuel

Jet Fuel Crunch Looms: Europe Faces Flight Cuts As Iran War Drags On

Europe

Iran

Strait of Hormuz

Agents with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should start seeing paychecks Monday or Tuesday, but it could still be quite some time before the business of traveling by air returns to business as usual.
Border Czar Tom Homan told CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday that he had spoken with newly sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin about President Donald Trump&#8217;s order — which directed him to pay TSA agents out of preexisting funding — and that they expected agents to see their first paychecks in weeks within the coming days.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Border Czar Tom Homan says TSA agents can expect to be paid &#8220;tomorrow or Tuesday.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/b8XBX11sLC">pic.twitter.com/b8XBX11sLC</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2038245064388858129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Homan also addressed Trump&#8217;s decision to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents into airports — a move made to mitigate the chaos of long lines and wait times as the lack of pay led to mass callouts among TSA employees — and said that they may remain in place for a time yet.
&#8220;We’ll see. You know, it depends how many TSA agents come back to work. How many TSA agents have actually quit and have no plan coming back to work? I’m working very closely with TSA administrator and the ICE director to decide what airport needs what,&#8221; Homan told Tapper.
The president issued an executive order on Friday directing Mullin to use funding that had &#8220;a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations&#8221; to ensure that agents received pay. They have not been paid since Democrats voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security some six weeks earlier, forcing a partial government shutdown that has also impacted the U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Secret Service.
The Democrats voted to block the DHS funding bill after the deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti during the ICE surge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, despite the fact that ICE agents were still being paid under provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
But as Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2037604682370003061">reported</a>, only frontline ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents are receiving paychecks amid the shutdown.
&#8220;The ICE, Border Patrol, and CBP agents we see in the field are all getting paid via OBBB. HOWEVER &#8230; their professional and civilian support staff are NOT being paid,&#8221; Melugin explained. &#8220;These are people who work the computers, the public affairs offices, and other support staff who aren&#8217;t on the front line making immigration arrests, but are supporting the agents who are. These civilian support staffers haven&#8217;t been paid for almost half of the last six months when you factor in the prior shutdown last fall.&#8221;
In an effort to get the TSA funded, the Senate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-strikes-overnight-deal-to-pay-tsa-agents-in-bid-to-end-airport-chaos">passed a measure</a> on Thursday that would break the logjam for most of DHS — with the exception of ICE and some parts of Border Patrol. But following President Trump&#8217;s lead, the House rejected the bill.
Neither the Senate bill nor a House bill that would fully fund DHS includes any of the ICE reforms demanded by Democrats, such as a ban on federal immigration agents wearing masks and a provision requiring judicial warrants for immigration enforcement operations.

TSA_Trump

Trump Gets TSA Paid Starting Today As ICE Presence Hinges On One Key Factor

Paychecks Are Coming For The TSA, But When Will Things Get Back To Normal?

Government Shutdown

Politics

Tom Homan

United Airlines is introducing a new seating option aimed at making long flights more comfortable, especially for families traveling with young children. 
The airline recently unveiled &#8220;Relax Row,&#8221; which transforms three adjacent economy seats into a lie-flat space. The feature, announced on social media, is expected to roll out in 2027.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The entire row is alllllll yours.
Welcome to United Relax Row, three adjacent United Economy seats with adjustable leg rests that can each be raised or lowered to create a cozy lie-flat space for stretching out&#8230;
You&#8217;ll also get a mattress pad, blanket and two pillows. If… <a href="https://t.co/Q6gcOuXbXo">pic.twitter.com/Q6gcOuXbXo</a>
— United Airlines (@united) <a href="https://twitter.com/united/status/2036505633470431412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The entire row is alllllll yours,” the X caption says. “Welcome to United Relax Row, three adjacent United Economy seats with adjustable leg rests that can each be raised or lowered to create a cozy lie-flat space for stretching out.”
Passengers will also receive a mattress pad, blanket, and two pillows. Families traveling with children will be offered a plush toy. United said the option would be available on more than 200 Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, with up to 12 designated rows per plane.
According to the airline, the setup is designed to give travelers more flexibility and comfort.
“Whether you’re traveling as a family, solo or as a couple, you’ll have the freedom to stretch out, cozy up and make the journey your own,” United said on its website.
The announcement drew mostly positive reactions online.
“Much needed. United is innovating faster than anyone,” one reply <a href="https://x.com/DrWilliamBrady/status/2036532429846917544">said</a>.
“Good idea. Finally, something new from the airlines,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/LeviSpires/status/2036519609558262177">replied</a>.
“May this set the standard for more child-friendly travel!” a third <a href="https://x.com/The_Nomad_News/status/2036613595925303521">added</a>.
United has not yet released details on pricing or how the seats will be booked.
This is the second encouraging update from the airline, which made <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/united-airlines-threatens-to-ban-passengers-who-make-this-noisy-faux-pas">headlines</a> recently when it added language to its contract of carriage stating it may refuse to transport passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content. 
A spokesperson for United noted that headphone use had long been encouraged.
“We’ve always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content — and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones,” the spokesperson said. “With the expansion of Starlink, it seemed like a good time to make that even clearer by adding it to the contract of carriage.”
The policy change was widely supported on social media, with many travelers saying it addressed a long-standing frustration and should become standard across the airline industry.

Traveling family

United Airlines Just Changed The Game For Families Traveling With Kids

Parenting

United Airlines

Unlike regular Delta customers, members of Congress get to bypass security lines — until now.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Delta is suspending its “red coat” high-level concierge services and “courtesy escorts” amid the partial government shutdown. Those services allow members of Congress to bypass general TSA lines, among other perks.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” the airline said in a statement. “Next to safety, Delta’s No. 1 priority is taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment.”
The partial government shutdown has led to lengthy airport security wait times and delayed paychecks for federal TSA agents. As a result, employee callouts have increased, and more than 400 workers have quit since the shutdown began.
Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tsa-agents-working-without-pay-how-much-salary-they-make-2026-3">reports</a> that the majority of TSA agents earn salaries from $40,000 to $75,000 and many live paycheck-to-paycheck. Several <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-tsa-employees-during-funding-crisis">GoFundMe</a> accounts have been started by communities, as well as individual TSA employees, to help make ends meet during the funding crisis. Elon Musk even stepped in to offer to pay TSA agents&#8217; salaries during the shutdown.
When the Atlanta Journal-Constitution broke the news, the author <a href="https://x.com/MurphyAJC/status/2036402602649276683">claimed</a>, “Delta is suspending its special congressional desk service for members of Congress until the shutdown is over.” 
Delta was praised for the decision, but several hours later, the author offered a correction. “Elite services for Members of Congress that have been temporarily suspended include specialty services such as airport escorts and red coat service. The Capital Desk, a reservations line, remains open.”
Delta did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire.
Members of Congress have also taken steps to hold themselves accountable for shutting down the government. On Monday, Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) called out Senate Democrats for blocking his resolution to halt lawmakers&#8217; pay until an agreement on funding was reached. &#8220;I tried to bring the bill yesterday on the floor, but got objected to by the Democrats,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/SenJohnKennedy">said</a>.
During the record 43-day government shutdown last fall, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) called for Congress to pass the No Budget, No Pay Act. He calls funding the government one of the most basic jobs of Congress.
&#8220;The American people elected us to come together, look at what we’re collecting in revenues, and put together and pass 12 appropriations bills that use those dollars effectively,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The last time Congress passed all 12 appropriations bills on time was nearly three decades ago. Congress has failed, time and time again, to do one of its basic duties.&#8221;
The legislation did not pass the Senate.

Delta Airlines Airbus

Did Delta Stop VIP Treatment For Congress? It’s Complicated.

Congress

Delta Airlines

Department of Homeland Security

U.S.

Egregious wait times at airports have quickly become all the rage — quite literally — as traveler frustration boils over, but the severity varies widely from one airport to another. 
While some airports are reporting delays of six hours or more, others are moving travelers through security in six minutes or less. Why? The answer lies in staffing models and privatization. 
During the government shutdown, private contractors continue to be paid through pre-funded contracts, while federal TSA employees are not. As a result, many TSA officers have called out or quit, while privately staffed airports remain largely unaffected.
On Sunday, more than 10% of TSA agents called out nationwide. New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) saw the highest rate, with 42.3% of agents absent. &#8220;This pointless, reckless shutdown of our homeland security workforce has caused more than 400 TSA officers to quit and thousands to call out from work because they are not able to afford gas, childcare, food, or rent,&#8221; said Lauren Bis, acting assistant DHS secretary.
Roughly 20 airports in the United States participate in the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which allows private contractors to handle security screening instead of federal TSA officers. Most travelers do not even notice the difference. 
The private contractors are held to the same standards as federally employed officers. Unlike TSA, private screeners are paid through pre-funded federal contracts, meaning their compensation is not disrupted during a government shutdown. TSA officers, however, are paid directly by the federal government and can be affected when funding lapses. 
Dr. Evette Richards, who flew from one of the private contractor airports in Kansas City, Missouri, told the Daily Wire she had a smooth experience. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Here’s the not-so-surprising reason your airport may have a longer wait time than others… <a href="https://t.co/Bim0GhwMuy">pic.twitter.com/Bim0GhwMuy</a>
— Brecca Stoll (@breccastoll) <a href="https://twitter.com/breccastoll/status/2036184530491425030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I walked right in,” she said. “I believe our airport has contract TSA, so we are not in the long lines and the difficulties other people are experiencing, and hopefully we can get that resolved quickly because all those individuals [federal TSA employees] working without pay is just unbelievable.”
The partial government shutdown started on February 14, when the Department of Homeland Security&#8217;s funding expired. That meant February marked the last paycheck for TSA agents. They won&#8217;t see one again until Congressional Republicans and Democrats can agree on funding. Democrats will not fund the department without limitations and oversight placed on ICE and Customs and Border Patrol. Republicans want DHS funded without those conditions. TSA is simply caught in the crosshairs.
Amidst the drama, President Trump turned up the temperature by deploying ICE agents at fourteen airports on Monday to assist TSA. But funding DHS does not seem to be the president&#8217;s top priority for Congress. Trump said Congress should focus on passing the SAVE Act, which would require voters to bring legal identification to the polls. He even <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5796693-trump-republicans-save-act/">suggested</a> Congress should forgo Easter to get the legislation done.

Why Are Some Airports Impacted Worse Than Others?

Some Airports Are Plagued by Long Waits—Others Aren’t

Airports

Democrat Shutdown

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shut down rumors that a deadly runway crash at New York&#8217;s LaGuardia Airport was caused by a lack of air traffic controllers, telling reporters on Monday that the airport is well-staffed.
Duffy, flanked by Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) along with several others, took several questions about the collision — between an Air Canada flight 8646 and a Port Authority fire truck — that occurred late Sunday night. While he deferred most questions to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is handling the full investigation, Duffy responded immediately when a reporter asked whether a lack of air traffic controllers had been a factor in the crash.
Several reports have included audio from Air Traffic Control that features one air traffic controller calling for the fire truck to stop — and then a short time later saying that he&#8217;d &#8220;messed up.&#8221; Another voice could be heard saying that he&#8217;d done &#8220;the best he could.&#8221;
One reporter asked Duffy at the press conference whether there was any truth to rumors that only one air traffic controller had been working at the time — and whether he thought such an incident might discourage people from choosing to become air traffic controllers, and Duffy said that it shouldn&#8217;t.
&#8220;I told you I am not going to talk about specifics, but for that question, I will say that is inaccurate,&#8221; Duffy said. He went on to note that the Transportation Department is doing everything possible to retain experienced air traffic controllers and train new recruits in order to fill vacancies, but he went on to say, &#8220;As airports go, LaGuardia is a well-staffed airport &#8230; I did want to clarify, I have heard the rumor there was only on controller in the tower and that is not accurate.&#8221;
Duffy laid out several key updates that he wanted Congress to approve funding for, saying that providing for the safety of the American people while they travel should not be a partisan issue. &#8220;There is bipartisan agreement so they should come together and figure out a way to give us the rest of the dollars to complete the job.&#8221;
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said LaGuardia is “well-staffed” but still faces a shortage of air traffic controllers. He said there are currently 33 certified controllers but the goal is to have 37. More than one controller was on duty at the time of the accident, he said.… <a href="https://t.co/RfMr5Z1VwA">pic.twitter.com/RfMr5Z1VwA</a>
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC7NY/status/2036178822576382248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Air Canada Express Plane Collides With Fire Truck At LaGuardia Airport

Trump Admin Debunks Viral Rumor After Deadly LaGuardia Crash

air traffic controllers

Airplane crash

General

New York City

Plane Crash

Sean Duffy

In what proved to be the kind of small divine intervention that gives one comfort the man upstairs is, indeed, looking out for them, I groggily awoke around 8:00 a.m. Sunday despite setting my alarm for 10:00 just a few hours before.
Southwest Airlines flight 1553 was scheduled to depart from New Orleans to D.C. at 12:35 p.m. This was the fourth time I was flying in six days, and I hadn&#8217;t had any TSA troubles yet. I planned to get to the airport a little earlier than usual, but nothing too crazy.
Before going back to sleep, I checked the bachelor party group chat, and everything changed. Our forward scout Will, who had booked a 5:50 a.m. flight home like an absolute psychopath, sent us photos from the TSA line around 4:00 a.m. Miles long. I quickly opened the Everything App (X) and searched &#8220;MSY&#8221;. Horror stories were quickly flooding in. I realized I had overlooked a key factor: spring break travelers.
Having been out on Bourbon Street until roughly 3:30 a.m. with the groom-to-be, my wits weren&#8217;t fully about me. I busted open the two tactical Excedrin Extra Strength packets I had stowed in my backpack for this very moment, swigged down the last bit of bottled drinking water I had, freshened up in the bathroom, and called my Uber.
I hurried downstairs and spotted one of my compatriots passed out face down on a couch. His flight was at noon. It was approaching 0845 CDT. It was over for him, so I left him behind — it&#8217;s what he would&#8217;ve wanted.
My Uber arrived and the real challenges began to stack up. My driver, pronouns stated in his Uber bio, was not aware there was a government shutdown affecting airport activity until I mentioned it.
&#8220;Are you f*cking sh*tting me? Again?&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/Dylan_Housman/status/2035717566815977677">he screamed</a>, immediately growing belligerent just moments after jovially asking me if we had gone to any &#8220;t*tty bars&#8221; (we did not).
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In Uber to the airport. I broke the news to my driver that there is a DHS shutdown. He immediately started yelling about Trump, &#8220;we gotta yank this guy out of office man, he&#8217;s fucking up our country!&#8221;
The best argument against democracy is a conversation with the average voter
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dylan_Housman/status/2035717566815977677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
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I explained to him it was just for DHS, which of course included TSA. &#8220;We gotta get this guy outta here man, he&#8217;s f*cking up our country!&#8221; he bellowed about President Trump. I didn&#8217;t have it in me to correct him. His blue delusion wouldn&#8217;t go far in deep red Louisiana anyway, and I was fighting for my life in the back seat of his Subaru.
We arrived at the airport. Southwest flight 1553 departed in three hours and 35 minutes. I entered the front door of the terminal and spotted the proverbial huddled masses, snaking in line after line around the floor. I glanced up to the second level, where the lines continued. I asked an employee where the line began, and she pointed me to the parking garage.
<div id="attachment_1064507" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064507" class="wp-image-1064507 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-432x576.jpg" alt="" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-432x576.jpg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />Lines in the parking garage for TSA at the New Orleans airport. (Dylan Housman)</div>
I walked out to the garage and assumed my spot in the labyrinth. It snaked around floor P1 at least 4 times before making its way inside. I had received a heads-up about the garage situation from the groom, David, who had arrived a couple of hours prior for his 10:00 a.m. flight. He said he was still outside.
Despair and chaos have fully gripped the crowd. &#8220;My flight is boarding now,&#8221; I heard one man say to an airport employee nearby. &#8220;He&#8217;s a goner,&#8221; I turned around and said to the two men behind me. It turned out they would be in due course as well.
&#8220;Ground exfil is proceeding well,&#8221; read a text in the group chat from Hayden, who was making the eight-hour drive back to Nashville. Lucky bastard. There was no sign of the copious amounts of Ole Miss fraternity brothers and their dates we had met the night before, either. A six-hour drive back to Oxford sounded nice right about now.
One hour into the snake. Southwest flight 1553 departed in two hours and 10 minutes. I assume at this point I am thoroughly cooked and begin looking at alternative flight options.
Direct to DCA, Baltimore, or Dulles? Nothing.
One-stop connections? Nothing.
Flights from Baton Rouge, Mobile, or Lafayette? Nothing.
The reality of potentially spending my Sunday night at the New Orleans airport Hilton begins to set in.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve just got to make it through to the gates,&#8221; I say to myself. &#8220;So many people are gonna be missing flights, I&#8217;ll be able to get on something else on standby.&#8221;
Then David throws me yet another curveball. &#8220;They&#8217;re not letting anyone in who has missed their flight already,&#8221; he texted me. &#8220;I had to book a standby seat on a full flight just for TSA to let me through.&#8221;
There were no other flights for me to book, not even for standby. I hurriedly searched for the cheapest flight departing MSY that day in the evening, just so I would have a boarding pass to show the TSA legionnaire manning the scanner. $130 for a Frontier flight to LAX at 7:00 p.m., connecting via Midway, it was.
<div id="attachment_1064513" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064513" class="wp-image-1064513 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-432x576.jpg" alt="" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-432x576.jpg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />(Dylan Housman)</div>
Southwest flight 1553 departed in one hour and 20 minutes. I&#8217;ve reached the threshold of the airport terminal. A crying child snakes past me in the other direction with her family. Defeated passengers, left for dead, sit on the floor of the Hudson News shop inside. We get to the bottom of the escalator to head up to the *actual* TSA line, where I&#8217;m promptly cut off by a dreadlocked man with three small children. I decide not to call the police, for the sake of the children.
I can see the scanners. Maybe I actually will make it. The line is moving quickly.
&#8220;I need to see your boarding pass,&#8221; the TSA agent says. I show him. Southwest flight 1553, which is leaving in 40 minutes. I&#8217;m through. Bags in the bin. Water bottle poured out. Portable charger through the machine. On the other side, I emerge as my flight begins boarding.
I make it onto the flight as one of the last to board. Total time spent in the TSA line ended up at about two hours and 45 minutes. I spent the taxi time writing a letter to my senators, pleading for mercy to never experience this hell again.

1000016268

Drugs, Sweat, And Tears: My Fight Through Spring Break TSA Lines During The Democrat DHS Shutdown

New Orleans

Transportation

Washington D.C.

Dramatic footage from LaGuardia Airport in New York captured the instant that Air Canada Express flight AC8646 plowed into a fire truck late Sunday night.
The Bombardier CRJ-900, a relatively small jet that seats 76–90 and is used for commuter travel, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/all-flights-cancelled-at-nycs-laguardia-after-deadly-runway-collision">crashed</a> into a Port Authority fire truck. As The Daily Wire previously reported, two pilots were killed and more than a dozen passengers were injured in the collision.
WATCH:
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Here’s CCTV footage capturing the exact moment Air Canada Express Flight AC8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900, collided with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport last night. <a href="https://t.co/qxGMZzKXPD">pic.twitter.com/qxGMZzKXPD</a>
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) <a href="https://twitter.com/Turbinetraveler/status/2036118403904098798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The video shows the plane heading down the runway and a line of emergency vehicles with flashing lights approaching at right angles to the plane. The plane crashes into the first vehicle in that line and grinds to a halt.
The plane, according to several reports, was landing at the time of the collision and had already slowed to approximately 30 miles per hour before striking the fire truck.
The firetruck, and the other emergency vehicles behind it, were traveling to handle a separate incident at LaGuardia at the time — and had been cleared to cross the runway. Audio recordings from the Air Traffic Control suggested a mix-up resulted in both the plane and the firetruck arriving at the intersection at the same time.
&#8220;Stop! Stop! Fire #1 Stop!” the controller could be heard saying.
After the collision, one controller could be heard saying that he &#8220;messed up.&#8221;
&#8220;No man, you did the best you could,&#8221; another replied.
Jazz Aviation issued a <a href="https://flyjazz.mediaroom.com/2026-03-23-Jazz-Aviation-LP-operating-as-Air-Canada-Express-confirms-incident">statement</a> regarding the crash: &#8220;Flight 8646 was en route to LaGuardia (LGA) from Montréal (YUL). The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members, although this is subject to confirmation. The incident occurred at approximately 11:47 PM on March 22, 2026.&#8221;
&nbsp;

Air Canada plane collides with fire truck at LaGuardia, killing 2, injuring others

New Video Shows Air Canada Jet Erupting On Impact With Fire Truck At LaGuardia

Actor Macaulay Culkin and his fiancée, Brenda Song, vowed never to fly Alaska Airlines again after they were separated from their young children during a recent flight.
Song, best known for her role on the Disney Channel sitcom “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” shared what happened on her Instagram stories. 
“I didn’t know when you book your first class tickets 6 months in advance for your family of six for your son’s birthday — @alaskaair can just give away your seats the morning of with no warning — splitting up you and your 3 and 4 year old kids,” Song wrote on her Instagram Stories. “We will never fly @alaskaair again and neither should you.”
The couple has two sons: Dakota, 4, and Carson, 3. Culkin shared her post to his Stories, adding the caption, “Hell hath no fury like a Brenda scorned…”
A representative from Alaska Airlines <a href="https://people.com/brenda-song-calls-out-alaska-airlines-for-giving-up-her-familys-seats-with-no-warning-11931826">told</a> People in a statement that the incident was &#8220;unacceptable and not reflective of the care” the airline aims for.
&#8220;Traveling can be stressful, especially with young children, and we pride ourselves on being a top airline for traveling families,” the statement says. “We are deeply sorry for adding friction to the experience.&#8221;
Alaska Airlines noted that they &#8220;have reached out to the family to make it right.”
Song and Culkin met in 2017 on the set of “Changeland.” Though they’ve been known to keep their relationship private, they do sometimes make public appearances or do interviews that allow fans to get a peek into their lives. They’ve been engaged since 2022.
Airline seating policies have become a topic of debate in recent months. In January, Southwest Airlines <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/southwest-enters-a-new-era-as-airline-officially-ends-open-seating">changed its longstanding open seating policy</a> in favor of assigned seats, with mixed reviews from customers.
Then, in February, a family flying with two young children went viral after the father posted about his experience being randomly assigned to sit in a different row from his children. Many commenters <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/travel/family-outraged-after-major-airline-seats-toddler-apart-from-parents-sparking-viral-debate">pointed out</a> that the dad should have paid the upgrade fee to select seats together. But others argued that airlines should automatically seat parents and young children together.

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