Potential Government Shutdown Threatens Travel Disruptions, Strains Air Traffic Control
WASHINGTON – A looming government shutdown raises the specter of travel disruptions and increased pressure on already-strained air traffic control systems, possibly impacting millions of travelers and costing the U.S.economy $1 billion per week,according to industry warnings. While flights are expected to continue operating, notable delays and cancellations are possible due to staffing shortages.
The Stakes: The U.S. Travel Association warned Congressional leaders last Thursday that a shutdown would inflict a $1 billion weekly economic blow and affect a vast number of travelers.
How a Shutdown Could Impact Air Travel:
* Air Traffic Controllers: Over 13,000 air traffic controllers would be required to work without pay during a shutdown, according to the Department of Transportation’s contingency plan. Additionally, roughly 3,500 aviation professionals providing critical safety and operational support face potential furlough.
* Past Disruptions: The 2019 shutdown provides a cautionary tale. During that 35-day closure, TSA agent sick-outs surged. Over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, 10% of airport screeners were absent, compared to 3.1% the prior year. On the final day of the shutdown, a shortage of just 10 air traffic controllers temporarily halted travel at LaGuardia Airport and caused delays at other major East Coast airports.
* Existing Staffing Concerns: Air traffic control facilities were approximately 2,000 employees short of the FAA’s staffing goal, as of earlier this year, according to data shared with the air traffic controllers’ union. While transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy stated last week the FAA had met its 2025 controller hiring goal, the agency’s March plan indicates a shutdown would halt training and field instruction for new controllers.
* Safety Concerns: thes long-standing staffing shortages coincide with growing safety concerns voiced by controllers following recent airline incidents, including a fatal midair collision near Washington D.C. earlier this year.
Industry Response:
Airlines for America, a lobbying group representing major carriers like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, has urged Congress to avert a shutdown, warning the system may “need to slow down, reducing efficiency.”
The National Air Traffic Controllers association released a statement emphasizing that a shutdown would be a “unneeded distraction” for controllers already working under immense pressure, operating “the most complex airspace in the world” around the clock.
