Although a short U.S. government shutdown would be unlikely to have much impact on air travel, a prolonged impasse could lead to disruptions for passengers and financial losses for businesses, according to travel experts and industry groups.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration define most of their employees as essential, requiring them to work even if the government closes and workers at other federal agencies are furloughed. That means airport screeners, air traffic controllers, federal air marshals, safety inspectors and other workers with the two agencies are expected to continue showing up on the job — without pay — even as lawmakers failed this week to strike a deal on federal funding.
But things could get messy if a shutdown dragged on and government employees suddenly deprived of a paycheck come under financial pressure, Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer, told CBS News.
“TSA officers are expected to continue to report to work. But in the past, if a shutdown exceeds two weeks, officers start to get frantic, and they stop going to work,” he said, adding that agency personnel may call in sick and even seek other job opportunities if a shutdown persists.
Any ensuing labor shortages can lead to snarled lines at airport security. For example, roughly 10% of TSA workers called in sick during the 34-day government shutdown that started in December 2018 and extended into 2019, driving up screening times at major airports across the country.
“So if officers decide not to come to work, there is less personnel manning checkpoints, and wait times can potentially get longer,” Harmon-Marshall said.
A shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, after the Senate on Tuesday voted down two competing Democratic and Republican proposals to keep the government funded. If lawmakers passed a spending bill, TSA and FAA workers would be entitled to back pay for any time worked during a shutdown.
$1 billion hit
The U.S. Travel Association, a trade group, warned that a government shutdown could cost the economy $1 billion a week, while also inconveniencing passengers and hurting travel industry businesses.
“A shutdown exacerbates staffing shortages among Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers, threatening longer airport security lines, flight delays and cancellations,” the group said in a Sept. 25 letter. “It halts hiring and training of new air traffic controllers when we are already short more than 2,800 controllers nationwide, and restarting the process adds further delays even after funding is restored.”
The U.S. is already experiencing a shortage of air traffic controllers, and has launched an effort to hire more than 2,000 additional controllers by the end of the fiscal year.
Neither the White House nor the Transportation Department responded to requests for comment about the impact of a potential government shutdown on travel in the U.S.
By contrast, train travel is unlikely to be disrupted if the government closes this week, according to the Rail Passengers Association, which represents the nation’s rail travelers. Although Amtrak receives some federal funding and could eventually be impacted if a shutdown dragged on, the rail service is financially healthy enough to pay workers in the near term and keep trains in operation, the group said in a statement last week.
Passport services are also deemed essential and would be expected to operate during a government shutdown.
