When I started traveling by plane regularly about two years ago, I constantly made a big mistake: using a duffel bag as my carry-on.
Government Shutdown: The Impact on Key Travel Sectors
24.09.2023 - 19:21 / skift.com / Pete Buttigieg
A U.S. government shutdown is looking more likely by the day as budget negotiations drag on in Congress. A shutdown would start next month, unless the government can reach a deal by the September 30 deadline.
Not everything stops in a government shutdown, because many employees are deemed “essential” and continue to work. That includes airport security agents, customs officials and air traffic controllers.
But the longer it goes on, the more likely it is that travelers – and the travel industry – could encounter increased hassles.
During the partial, 34-day government shutdown between late 2018 and early 2019 — the longest ever — the travel industry faced issues including garbage overflowing at national parks, long security lines at airports and flight delays.
While it is still unclear how a government shutdown would affect travel this time around, here’s how it may affect various parts of the industry.
Air traffic controllers are considered “essential” government workers, so by law they are expected to work during a government shutdown.
But that doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be an impact. Though they’ve traditionally been given back pay for their work, air traffic controllers and other “essential” employees don’t receive regular paychecks during the shutdown — an issue that only gets worse the longer it goes on.
In late January 2019, 10 air traffic controllers called off work, reported. The move prompted a ground stop at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, and ultimately led to those specialized workers being credited with helping end the shutdown altogether.
Another issue is more long-term. A shutdown would pause training of new air traffic controllers at a time when the FAA is facing a staffing shortage of about 3,000 workers.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently warned the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that a government shutdown would halt hiring and training for air traffic controllers. This would especially affect places like the greater New York City area, which is already seeing a notable shortage of these controllers available to manage its airspace.
Just like air traffic controllers, Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) workers at airport security lines are considered “essential” employees and must continue working during a government shutdown.
Nearly 56,000 of about 59,200 TSA workers employed as of July 2022 would be retained during a government shutdown, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s latest contingency plan.
However, operational issues such as longer security lines at airports could arise if employees do not show up for work — a possibility when workers are not getting regular paychecks.
In early January 2019,
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