U.S government shutdown disrupts travel plans for air passengers

With the U.S government shut-down taking full effect Oct. 1, pay cuts and a rise in resignations among air traffic controllers and airport staff have led to increased flight cancellations and delays across 40 major airports, negatively affecting travel plans for more than four million people, according to Airlines for America. 

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The shutdown resulted in all federal workers going without pay for nearly two months and has led to a significant wave of staff shortages, leaving travelers to face longer tarmac wait times, scheduled flight delays, and cancellations. Airport staff morale and overall airline efficiency have also suffered over the last several months. 

At the start of November, the Federal Aviation Administration instructed airline companies to temporarily reduce their domestic flight schedules by 4%, as concerns for safety rose from the elevated pressure placed on limited air traffic controllers and staff. By Nov. 14, flight capacity had been reduced by 10% across multiple national airports, leading to the temporary cancellation of nearly a thousand incoming and outgoing flights each day.

Decrease in passenger capacity and scheduled flight cancellations have taken a large financial hit to a number of large and small airlines in recent months. Bank of America speculates that “large-scale airports could take a $150 to $200 million operating income hit” and “less than $100 million for other carriers”.

On Nov. 12, President Donald Trump passed a bipartisan spending bill that reopened the Government and ended the 43-day shutdown. However, Business Insider states that although airline staff pay has been reinstated, it has still taken a few weeks for flight schedules to go back to normal due to the ordered flight cancellations made by the FAA.