Senators are growing increasingly worried that flight delays and the absence of air traffic controllers might escalate to levels reminiscent of the 2019 government shutdown, which, as some suggest, could be a turning point for breaking the current deadlock.
Staffing challenges in air traffic control led to considerable delays earlier this week, dragging on into a second week and affecting around 10,000 flights. Although the situation improved on Wednesday, over 3,000 flights still experienced delays, with some weather-related setbacks reported in the Northeast.
Lawmakers are recalling the chaotic air travel situation from nearly seven years ago, when it ultimately pressured President Trump to reject funding requests for the border wall.
“It’s a real pressure point,” remarked Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. “If air travel comes to a halt and all the air traffic controllers are unavailable, it’s like shutting down the economy.” He added, “I really hope it doesn’t come to that.”
The 35-day shutdown in 2019 hit a critical point when sickness among 10 air traffic controllers triggered severe delays, including ground stops at LaGuardia Airport and other East Coast locations.
So far, disruptions haven’t been too severe, but reports of issues have surfaced at major airports, including those in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Nashville, with more than 1,000 cancellations attributed in part to weather conditions.
This week, the Department of Transportation revealed that over 13,000 air traffic controllers are currently working without pay as they are deemed essential, alongside TSA employees.
As lawmakers closely monitor the situation, they are also searching for a potential breakthrough amid the ongoing standstill.
Democrats have proposed extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, but Republicans have insisted on reopening government discussions first before any talks on this issue can proceed.
During a vote on Wednesday, Senate Democrats rejected a Republican “clean” stopgap spending measure for the sixth time that aimed to fund the government through November. With the impasse growing deeper, lawmakers acknowledge that outside forces might be necessary to coax either side into negotiations.
“I have concerns,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), pointing to disruptions reported at Denver International Airport recently. “This is just one of the many complications arising from the shutdown.” He noted discussions among colleagues regarding air travel have taken place several times lately.
“This is something we’re keeping an eye on,” he remarked, adding he hasn’t dominated the conversations just yet.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) mentioned being involved in private discussions aimed at exploring potential paths forward but wasn’t able to provide specifics, only indicating that they were “quite productive.”
Some senators, however, express concerns that even if air travel issues peak similar to 2019’s levels, it might not be enough to bring this shutdown to an end. They attribute the current climate to a less accommodating stance from the administration.
“I think they’ve reached a new low,” said a Senate Republican. “In the past, it was a straightforward battle; now the government seems set up for conflict.” The rhetoric, he continued, suggests that the issues are happening solely because Democrats have declined to fund the government at previously agreed levels, which he believes might not effectively end the stalemate.
On the optimistic side, some lawmakers are hopeful that if air travel issues exacerbate significantly, it might compel action toward reopening.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) pointed out that air traffic control problems previously prompted President Trump to seek solutions. “The reason we aren’t seeing movement now is that he isn’t involved,” he stated, hoping the president might reconsider his approach since he has the ability to drive resolution if desired. “What drove Trump’s focus was economic implications; he realized the American economy relies on functional aviation.” Kaine underscored the severity of the situation, believing Trump, who understood this six years ago, might connect the dots again.
