If delays and disruption over the summer weren’t enough, a potential government shutdown could bring more frustration for travelers.
“Air traffic controllers and TSA officers would have to work without pay, potentially leading to significant delays and longer wait time for travelers at airports across the country like there were during previous shutdowns,” it said in a release earlier this week. The absences led to longer lines at airport security and some airports, including Miami International, closed terminals to cope with staff shortages.
Air traffic controllers and TSA staff would be paid retroactively, but how long they may be willing to work without pay this time is the big unknown. There are other, less conspicuous, consequences that could arise from a lengthy shutdown. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that a shutdown would halt crucial training for air traffic controllers amid a shortage.