Air travel crisis: jet fuel doubles, TSA goes unpaid
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- United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said jet fuel prices have more than doubled in the last three weeks, with the airline planning around oil reaching $175/barrel and not returning to $100/barrel until the end of 2027.
- TSA screeners are working without pay during the partial government shutdown and about to miss a second paycheck, with hundreds already leaving the job — aviation security expert Jeffrey Price told Axios smaller airport closures are 'very close to a breaking point.'
- Trump is deploying ICE agents to hard-hit airports this week to ease hours-long security lines, but they aren't trained as screeners, and he suggested the National Guard could be next; ICE's conduct during recent crackdowns in Minnesota could also stoke traveler safety worries.
- Two Air Canada pilots were killed at LaGuardia late Sunday when their landing plane struck an emergency vehicle on the runway — both the aircraft and the vehicle were cleared by air traffic control — putting controller workload and staffing back in the spotlight.
- Iran's effective blockage of the Strait of Hormuz is fueling the oil shock, though Trump announced a five-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure that could mark an early step toward reopening the shipping lane.
Why it matters: United Airlines plans assume $175/barrel oil through 2027, meaning fares keep climbing long after headlines move on. With TSA staffing near a breaking point and hundreds already quitting, even mid-size airports risk checkpoint closures — and a fatal LaGuardia collision is renewing scrutiny of controller workload while the shutdown drags on.
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