Flights cancellations, delay: What flyers need to know about possible government shutdown

A government shutdown could disrupt travel with longer lines at airports. Nonessential federal operations would cease at midnight Tuesday if Congress fails to pass legislation to keep the government functioning. Many airport employees, including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration staff, would be forced to work without pay. The government's continuing efforts to strengthen the air traffic control system would also be stymied, with some much-needed training and hiring put on ice.

Though transportation systems, including air and rail, would continue to operate, a shutdown could bring financial losses of up to $1 billion each week for the country's travel economy and heighten "uncertainty in our travel system," said Geoff Freeman, the president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, a trade group that promotes travel to and within the country.

"The longer a shutdown drags on, the more likely we are to see longer TSA lines, flight delays and cancellations, national parks in disrepair and unnecessary delays in modernizing travel infrastructure," Freeman said in a statement.


Here is a rundown of the expected effects of a government shutdown on the travel sector.

Air Travel

A shutdown would likely mean long security lines at airports and numerous delayed flights. The vast majority of the 61,000 TSA workers and more than 13,000 air traffic controllers would work without pay, according to the Transportation Department.

That was what happened during the longest and most recent shutdown, from December 2018 to January 2019, leading to many TSA agents calling out sick at higher-than-usual rates. The increase in absences resulted in shuttered security checkpoints -- and, in Miami, even the temporary closure of an entire terminal.

FAQs

Q1. What does government shutdown mean for flyers?
A1. A shutdown would likely mean long security lines at airports and numerous delayed flights. The vast majority of the 61,000 TSA workers and more than 13,000 air traffic controllers would work without pay, according to the Transportation Department.

Q2. When did government shutdown happen recently?
A2. The longest and most recent shutdown took place from December 2018 to January 2019.