US airlines warn of disruption as DHS suspends PreCheck, Global Entry during shutdown

Major US airlines have expressed concern over travel disruptions after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decided to temporarily suspend its PreCheck and Global Entry programmes amid an ongoing government shutdown.The suspension will take effect from 6 a.m. ET (1100 GMT) on Sunday, days after a partial shutdown began following the failure of Republicans and Democrats to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms, news agency Reuters reported.Airlines said travellers received very little advance warning about the move, leaving many with limited time to adjust their travel plans. “Airlines for America is deeply concerned that ... the traveling public will be, once again, used as a political football amid another government shutdown,” Chief Executive Chris Sununu said, urging Congress to “get a deal done.”Sununu added that a similar shutdown last fall caused losses of $6.1 billion across the travel industry and related sectors.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said airport and border agencies would prioritise general passenger movement while suspending “courtesy and special privilege escorts.”“We are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage,” she said in a DHS statement.The suspension forms part of emergency steps taken by DHS to redirect staffing resources after Congress failed to approve additional funding, according to a Washington Post report.The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said the PreCheck programme had more than 20 million active members in 2024, while total vetted travellers across DHS programmes, including Global Entry, exceeded 40 million.PreCheck allows approved passengers to use dedicated fast-track security lanes at US airports, while Global Entry expedites customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk international travellers entering the United States.The move follows orders from the Trump administration last week directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to suspend deployment of aid workers to disaster-affected areas during the shutdown.