Texas airline workers share their concerns as they wait for extension to CARES Act

Friday morning, airline workers who are relying on an extension of the CARES Act shared their worries and demands.

With air travel down nearly 75 percent due to the coronavirus, airlines are losing millions of dollars a day.

Funding through the CARES Act has prevented mass layoffs thus far, but if an extension isn't passed soon, thousands of airline workers could lose their jobs.

During a Zoom call with Texas airline workers, U.S. Senate Democratic nominee M.J. Hegar spoke about the need for an extension of the Payroll Support Program -- funded by the CARES Act, which is set to expire in the fall.

“Certainly that October 1 date is making a lot of you uneasy trying to figure out how to keep food on the table for your kiddos,” Hegar said during the video call.

FILE - TSA agents work at a security checkpoint at the Ronald Reagan National Airport on July 22, 2020.

Transport workers and aircraft crew are among the masses who could be furloughed if Congress does not approve additional funding soon.

On Thursday, American Airlines announced its cutting 15 routes in October, when federal funding is set to run out.

“If that's not extended, there's thousands of people who could lose their jobs. There's already been warn letters saying there's a potential for that,” said John Gardner, with Transport Workers Union Local 513.

“So we've been lobbying separately, the House and the Senate, to get the PSP extension passed into March 2021,” said Ginny McDavid with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA).

There are 16 U.S. Senators, including John Cornyn -- whose seat Hegar is running for -- who have signed a letter supporting the approval of an additional $25 billion which would prevent airline layoffs through March 2021.

Congress is currently in recess.

“They need to quit dragging their feet and defer to the White House,” McDavid said.

Senator Cornyn said he's been on daily conference calls with Secretary Mnuchin and the White House chief of staff trying to come up with a strategy to work out a deal with the House of Representatives working on their own plan.

Airport employees are continuing to anxiously awaiting action as COVID-19 continues to spread.

“We have had positive tests at American, in fleet service and facility maintenance. About 120, and we've had one person pass away,” Gardner said.

“We don't have this large income, so therefore, we do make up some income by working overtime, but that has been totally eliminated,” airport security officer Sandy Felix said.

Officials for the AFA, which represents some 50,000 flight attendants at 20 different airlines, said they’re planning what's being called a "relief rally" outside Sen. Cornyn's Houston office on Tuesday.

It’s not yet known if the senator will be there.