Airlines warn flight cancellations to continue even after shutdown

Air Travel Disruptions to Continue Even After Government Shutdown Ends

The recent air travel disruptions that have affected millions of people in the United States may persist even after the government shutdown comes to an end. According to airlines and the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, the effects of the shutdown will be felt for some time. The Senate has passed a bill that could potentially end the longest federal government shutdown in history, but Duffy warns that this won’t be an immediate fix.

The shutdown has resulted in staffing shortages of air traffic controllers, who are required to work without their regular paychecks. This has led to thousands of delayed or canceled flights, with issues worsening in recent days. Controllers have missed their second full paychecks, and some have taken up second jobs to make ends meet, leading to increased stress levels. Even if the House passes the bill to fund the federal government through January, airlines will need time to readjust their schedules and position planes and crews.

Impact on Air Travel

The disruptions have sent some passengers looking for alternative modes of transportation, such as buses, rental cars, and even private jets. The Trump administration has started requiring commercial airlines to cut 4% of their domestic flights at 40 busy US airports, with larger reductions on the way if the shutdown doesn’t end. Aviation groups have said that record numbers of travelers are expected for the Thanksgiving period, which is just over two weeks away.

According to aviation data firm Cirium, just over 5% of scheduled US departures were canceled on Tuesday, a relatively light day for travel. This is down from an 8.7% cancellation rate on Monday and 10.2% on Sunday. Delays have also piled up due to staffing shortages and bad weather at major hubs, including Chicago O’Hare. The shutdown has thrust aviation’s strains into the spotlight, highlighting the need for more Department of Transportation funding to modernize air traffic control and hire more controllers.

Call to Action

Aviation groups are urging lawmakers to not only end the shutdown but also provide more funding to help modernize air traffic control and hire more controllers. The Modern Skies Coalition, which includes major airline, airport, and aerospace groups, has written an open letter to Congress emphasizing the need for action. The coalition notes that the government shutdown has disrupted the work of modernizing air traffic control and slowed the momentum built for modernization.

President Donald Trump has threatened to dock the pay of air traffic controllers who are absent, while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has expressed support for the idea. Duffy has also stated that controllers would receive about 70% of their pay within two days of the shutdown ending. However, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union has said that it took about 2½ months for workers to be made whole in the shutdown that ended in 2019.