A government shutdown looms as Congress remains in a stalemate over whether to extend funding beyond a key deadline.
If a shutdown were to occur, most federal agencies would stop operating, and most government employees would be furloughed, except those who work in agencies considered “essential services,” such as Social Security and Medicare.
Also considered essential: Most federal workers involved in air travel.
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While travel for Americans is unlikely to be severely affected by a government shutdown, the shutdown would still have significant impacts on the travel industry.
According to the US Travel Association, the US economy could lose about $140 million per day during a government shutdown, partly due to longer wait times at airports and postponed modernization projects. In addition, processing times for passports, visas and Global Entry may take longer. This may cause visitors to postpone or cancel their travel plans.
Flyers may also experience more delayed flights and longer screening times.
A poll by market research and consulting firm Ipsos and the US Travel Association found that 60% of Americans would avoid or cancel air travel during a government shutdown.
If the government shutdown were to become a prolonged shutdown, travelers could expect even more problems.
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Museums such as those affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution will be closed during a government shutdown, and it is unclear whether national parks will close.
During previous government shutdowns, national parks have remained open to visitors; But as most workers were furloughed, national parks became filled with litter and suffered from overflowing toilets. Visitors even destroyed part of the building.
When it comes to air travel, agencies like the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration are considered essential services. So airport security staff and air traffic controllers will still have to work, even if they won’t receive pay until the shutdown eventually ends.
However, absenteeism could pose a significant challenge for these two agencies, and according to Reuters, the FAA is already facing labor shortages during the coronavirus pandemic.
During a government shutdown in 2019, 10 air traffic controllers called in sick, leading to a temporary closure at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and delays at airports in Philadelphia, Newark and Atlanta. That eventually led to an end to the shutdown.
Another thorn in the FAA’s side during a government shutdown: training for new air traffic controllers would have to be halted, something Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said would come at “exactly the wrong time.”
“We cannot afford that kind of politically driven disruption at a time when we finally have the air traffic control numbers moving in the right direction,” Buttigieg said during a hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on September 20.
The FAA has faced a shortage of air traffic controllers during the pandemic, which has already led to flight restrictions at major airports.
Buttigieg said during the House hearing that the FAA has exceeded its goal of hiring 1,500 air traffic controllers this year, but that a government shutdown would hinder any progress in training them.
What could also become another factor in a perfect storm is that the FAA permit expires on Saturday; Congress has yet to pass a reauthorization bill. To avoid more chaos at the FAA, Congress should approve a temporary extension of FAA programs. If Congress doesn’t do this, the problems that have already hampered the FAA could be exacerbated by a government shutdown and the absence of a reauthorization bill.
A government shutdown would also cause delays in infrastructure projects, meaning airport construction could also experience delays.
It is unclear whether Congress can reach a last-minute compromise to extend the funding. If not, travelers will feel the ripple effects of the government shutdown.