If The Government Shutdown Drags On Here's What Air Travelers Can Expect

Key Concepts:

• Government shutdown impact on air travel
• TSA and FAA employee furloughs and working without pay
• Morale decline and increased absenteeism among air traffic controllers and TSA screeners
• Potential for flight delays and disruptions
• Passport and visa service impacts
• Historical precedents of shutdowns affecting air travel

Impact of Government Shutdown on Air Travel

The government shutdown is causing significant strain on the air travel industry due to the furlough of non-essential personnel and the requirement for essential employees like air traffic controllers and TSA screeners to work without pay. The Department of Transportation's website, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has posted an emergency notification banner indicating shutdown/furlough status due to a lapse in appropriations.

Employee Furloughs and Working Conditions

• Roughly 95% of the TSA's 64,000 employees are working without pay.
• The FAA expects to furlough 11,000 employees, about 25% of its workforce, according to a Department of Transportation shutdown plan.
• Air traffic controllers and TSA screeners are exempt from furloughs but are working without pay until funding is restored.

Morale and Absenteeism

The strain of working without a timely paycheck has historically led to low morale and increased absenteeism among essential personnel.

• During the 2018 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, hundreds of TSA screeners called in sick, leading to flight delays and longer screening lines.

Airline Industry Concerns

Airlines for America, the airline lobby group, stated that "When federal employees who manage air traffic, inspect aircraft, and secure our nation's aviation system are furoughed or working without pay, the entire industry, and millions of Americans feel the strain."

Passport and Visa Services

Scheduled passport and visa services in the US and at embassies and consulates abroad will continue "as the situation permits," according to the US State Department shutdown plan. Americans planning to travel internationally should act quickly if they need passport renewals to be on the safe side. Past shutdowns have led to backlogged applications and longer processing times.

Potential for Flight Disruptions

Disgruntled air traffic controllers could be a tipping point if the shutdown stretches for weeks.

• During the 2018-2019 shutdown, a shortage of air traffic controllers forced the FAA to drastically limit traffic into major airports in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Orlando, which reportedly led President Trump to end the shutdown.
• On the first day of the shutdown, an air traffic controller told Forbes, "It's getting messy."

Conclusion

The government shutdown poses a significant risk to the stability and efficiency of the air travel industry. The combination of employee furloughs, unpaid essential workers, declining morale, and potential absenteeism could lead to flight delays, longer security lines, and disruptions to passport and visa services. The historical precedent of past shutdowns suggests that these issues could escalate if the funding lapse continues for an extended period.