Government Shutdown Threatens Small Airports Like Pangborn

Sitting high above the Wenatchee Valley in East Wenatchee, Pangborn Memorial Airport has always been more than just a runway. It’s our gateway—simple, reliable, and the place where locals catch flights to Seattle or welcome family from afar. But this week, that connection feels fragile. The partial government shutdown, now in its fifth week since the Department of Homeland Security’s funding ended on February 13, threatens to potentially halt flights.

“As the weeks continue, if this continues, it’s not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports—particularly smaller ones if callout rates go up.” -TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl

This is the second shutdown in less than a year, leaving about 50,000 TSA officers across the country unpaid and absenteeism rising above 10 percent at many checkpoints. This recent shutdown is causing some small U.S. airports to decide whether to continue or shut down due to a shortage of security screeners.

TSA via Canva

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Pangborn, with just one security lane and a small staff, is like other small airports around the country. Our local screeners—the people who greet us with a nod and a smile—are already working without pay. In response, Serve Wenatchee has started a gift-card drive for gas and groceries, quietly showing our community’s strength during this federal gridlock. Travelers are already facing longer waits, short tempers, and the uneasy feeling that safety is at risk. The impact goes beyond inconvenience.

The TSA Screeners at Pangborn have always been vital. For the time being, they're working without a paycheck.

Pangborn Airport via Connor

Big airports might manage by combining checkpoints, but small airports around the nation are more vulnerable. The Port of Chelan Douglas issued a media release on the subject:

“Pangborn Memorial Airport is a vital transportation link for North Central Washington, We are actively monitoring the situation and staying closely coordinated with our federal partners. At this time, there is no basis to suggest that airport operations are in jeopardy." -Trent Moyers, Director of Airports

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