The US government remains “closed” for a third week, and the first effects on flights and delays at immigration are starting to raise concerns about a possible impact on American travelers planning to depart during the half-term holidays.
As reported by TravelWeekly, a representative for USAirtours is currently recording a small degree of anomalies in transatlantic flights. However, as most of the company’s customers choose to stay in a single resort or city, the impact on them is not great and the delays occur mainly when entering the country, that is, at immigration.
Major Travel’s director, Qasim Gulamhusein, acknowledges that there are some issues with flights, but the government shutdown is not something that travelers think about seriously, as he said. He stressed that although this is not a busy time for the US, there is still a lot of demand for Orlando for the October half-term holidays. The development of the situation will be seen in the coming period, he added.
The threats of dismissal of controllers
Last week, the US Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, threatened to dismiss air traffic controllers who are absent from work. He even accused workers who falsely claim illness because they are not paid, of causing “tremendous disruption”.
At the same time, controller shortages at Hollywood Burbank, Denver and New York Newark airports are causing flight delays, with Los Angeles Regional Airport reporting that there were no controllers at all from 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. on one day.
The Federal Aviation Administration also reported delays at airports in Phoenix, Houston, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Nashville due to staffing shortages.
The threat of layoffs threatens to worsen delays amid a shortage of nearly 3,000 air traffic controllers in the U.S. before the government shutdown began on Oct. 1. That had already led to widespread delays and cancellations.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson warned of “one of the longest shutdowns in history.” But the shutdown is already among the longest, with many agencies receiving layoff notices.
Smithsonian Institution museums and attractions closed last week, and the U.S. Travel Association estimates the shutdown has cost the industry nearly $2 billion.
Last week, the US government laid off more than 1,000 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including teams working to control infectious disease outbreaks, then abruptly withdrew them shortly after.
A federal court has issued a temporary injunction blocking the Trump administration from firing federal employees during the lockdown. The ruling by US District Judge Susan Ilston in California came in response to a lawsuit filed by labor unions representing federal workers.
