Your holiday flight could be canceled by the gov’t shutdown
Image: USA Today
US airlines canceled 2,000+ flights on Sunday, marking the third straight day of widespread travel disruptions stemming from the FAA’s new mandate to reduce air traffic due to the ongoing federal gov’t shutdown.
The FAA directive calls for cutting air traffic at 40 of the busiest airports across the country. (See if your airport is affected)
The cuts began at 4% of all flights at those airports last Friday, and will continue to tick upward until reaching 10% this coming Friday, with officials citing a shortage of air-traffic controllers and urging Congress to reopen the federal government immediately for travelers.
Driving the trend
Airports were already dealing with a preexisting shortage of air-traffic controllers—but the situation has been made worse by the shutdown, which is the longest in US history at 41 days and counting (as of Monday).
- Controllers are considered essential workers, and required to work without pay while the gov’t is closed.
- The resulting financial pressure has caused an increasing number of controllers to take sick leave and/or pursue secondary employment to help make ends meet.
It doesn’t stop there. Most of the TSA’s 64,000 agents also aren’t getting paid during the shutdown, adding to an already massive logistical headache for US airports.
An end in sight?
The Senate reportedly reached an agreement yesterday evening on the rough outlines of a funding measure that would end the government shutdown, with at least eight Democrats supporting the bill alongside all 53 Republicans in the chamber, according to multiple reports.
- Until this point, Democrats had refused any GOP funding deals that didn’t also include an extension of Covid-era enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire in 2026.
- But Republican lawmakers are seeking to fund the government at current levels through FY 2026, and want to negotiate the health insurance subsidies separately.
Looking ahead…Any deal in the Senate will still need approval from the House, which has been out of session since September 19. Members are currently on notice from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to return within 48 hours as soon as the Senate approves a spending bill.
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Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that Duffy, like everyone, is playing a bit of a political game by blaming Democrats for the shutdown, which isn't going to solve anything—but the tumult in the travel industry should be enough to coax both parties back to the negotiating table.
- Others contend that this shutdown once again raises questions about whether air-traffic control should be run by the FAA, which makes the system work but always seems to be on the edge of disaster, or should be privatized into either a not-for-profit entity or a highly regulated private company.
- “Trouble in the skies” –Newsday Editorial Board
- “The Shutdown Exposes the Need to Privatize Air Traffic Control” –Thomas Black, Bloomberg
- “Shutdown brings out airport finger-pointing” –Boston Herald Editorial Board
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that Transportation Sec. Duffy made the right move to reduce flights across the US in response to an air-traffic controller shortage, correctly emphasizing safety over politics, and now it’s Congress’ turn to do their job and get the gov’t back open.
- Others contend that not paying air-traffic controllers because of a lawmaker spat in Congress is a ludicrous way to run the country’s system, and the answer is to hand off the job of air-traffic control to a nonprofit funded by user fees instead of taxes (like in Canada).
- “Notwithstanding a skeptical media, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was right to cut back flights” –Chicago Tribune Editorial Board
- “Free the Air-Traffic Controllers” –WSJ Editorial Board
- “Democrats’ shutdown shakedown harms air-traffic controllers — and risks our safety” –Sean P. Duffy, NY Post
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