Government Shutdown Continues to Disrupt Airports Across the Country

As the government shutdown enters its second month, airports across the United States are feeling the effects. Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and San Diego Airport have both reported ground delays due to a lack of staff on Friday. This is just one example of the widespread impact the shutdown is having on air travel.

Congress’s failure to provide relief for air traffic controllers and other federal aviation workers has led to concerns that flight interruptions will increase in the coming weeks. While the Trump administration has moved funds around to delay some impacts, such as paying the troops, lawmakers warn that next week aviation workers will not receive their paychecks.

As a result, around 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA officers are facing work without pay. This has led to a surge in absences and sick days, contributing to 53% of all flight delays since the shutdown began on October 1. This is a stark contrast to the usual 5% of delays caused by staff absences.

The impact of the shutdown on air travel is evident in the growing number of flights that have been impacted by delays. On some days, almost 6,000 flights have been affected, causing several major airports to impose ground stops due to staff shortages. As of Friday, over 4,000 flights were delayed across the country, with airports like Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport experiencing an average delay of 34 minutes due to staffing shortages.

The situation has become so dire that even the White House has acknowledged the impact on air travel. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed during a press briefing that air traffic controllers are being forced to take on second jobs, such as driving for Uber, in order to make ends meet during the shutdown.

Congressman Tim Burchett, who sits on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, believes that it is up to the Democrats to agree to end the shutdown in order to get these workers paid and flights back on schedule. He acknowledges that Republicans would have to “yield to the hostage situation” of the Democratic Party in order to provide relief to these workers.

With no end in sight for the shutdown, it is unclear what measures are being taken to address flight delays and cancellations. The Transportation Department did not respond to requests for comment on the actions being taken to mitigate the impact on air travel.

The White House has warned that if the shutdown continues, it will have a significant impact on air travel during the upcoming busy holiday season. Forecasts from groups like Airlines for America (A4A) and TSA indicate a record-breaking number of passengers will be using US air travel from November to January. In the Thanksgiving period alone, it is estimated that US airlines will transport over 31 million passengers, an increase from the previous year. For the broader December holidays, over 54 million passengers are expected to travel with American carriers.

As the government shutdown continues, it is clear that the impact on air travel