Many aspects have this looming U.S. government shutdown over their head, but arguably most importantly, it’s feared in its effect on the TSA and air travel during these busy holidays. This article will examine more closely how such a shutdown could affect airport operations, security screening, and travel experiences for millions of Americans.
Government shutdown explained
A government shutdown is when Congress cannot pass funding legislation and non-essential government operations stop. Essential services remain running but employees are working without pay. This usually means many industries, such as travel and transportation, are impacted and with funding about to run out, Congress has been trying to force through a bipartisan bill to stop government shutdown which has been revoked.
Essential services during a shutdown
For air travel, these include TSA agents and air traffic controllers. These individuals are classified as essential employees meaning that they are expected to continue working during a government shutdown to maintain airport security and manage air traffic. Out of the 62,000 TSA employees, about 59,000 are classified as essential and will be required to report to work without receiving a pay for the duration of the shutdown period.
Short-term impact on air travel
Security screening issues
Although TSA staff would be at airports, no pay could lead to high absenteeism. In previous shutdowns, when employees were not paid, many called in sick or did not come to work. In the 2019 shutdown, for instance, high absenteeism of TSA agents caused longer lines at security checkpoints and even forced the temporary closure of some airports.
Worker absenteeism
For such periods, TSA expects 40 million passengers to travel between December 19 to January 2. Furthermore, increased financial pressure leads to increased absenteeism that results in longer lines and waiting time for the passengers at the security checkpoints. The head, TSA Administrator David Pekoske has said that even as staff were prepared for the high volume of travellers during peak travelling, they can significantly deteriorate as a prolonged shutdown can considerably raise wait times up.
Air traffic control operations
Air traffic controllers, though necessary and still working during a shutdown, have similar issues of absenteeism. The FAA estimates that, if the shutdown were to continue, new controller training would not be conducted and at locations where staffing shortages could occur operational inefficiencies may occur. In fact, the FAA has experienced, in the past, mass sick calls by controllers during earlier shutdowns leading to widespread delays across major airports.
Longer term effects of prolonged shutdown
The extended the shutdown of the government exceeds the duration of some weeks or days, this will result in some catastrophes on air travel. Delays in larger measures at security checkpoints and air traffic management may lead to;
- Cancellation of flights: Airlines would face severe labor shortages in security and air traffic controller positions.
- Economic impacts: Travel industry depends on holiday traffic; disruptions could be seen as a decrease in consumer spending in related industries such as hospitality and retail.
- Public perception: the travelers would be frustrated by the increased wait times and cancellations. Public trust of federal agencies that are to keep them safe may go down.
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