Senate Moves to End Government Shutdown, Air Travel Chaos Continues

The Senate is making strides toward passing a bill to bring an end to the ongoing government shutdown, which has stretched on for a record 42 days. However, it seems air travel won’t be returning to normal anytime soon.

With air traffic controllers experiencing their second consecutive missed paycheck as of Tuesday, airports nationwide are facing significant disruptions. More controllers are absent from their posts than before the shutdown, and many are taking on additional tasks.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” that around “15 to 20” controllers are retiring daily during this crisis, a stark contrast to the usual rate of about four retirements each day prior to the funding halt.

“It’s going to be a challenge to recover post-shutdown and recruit more controllers to manage the airspace,” Duffy remarked. He suggested that the impact on the air travel sector would be felt long after the government reopens.

Due to staffing issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported a 4% decrease in flights at 40 key airports since last Friday, a figure expected to rise to 6% on Tuesday morning. By Thursday and Friday, cuts could reach 8% and 10% respectively.

As of Tuesday, nearly 1,200 flights in and out of the U.S. had been canceled, with over 680 delays reported, according to flight tracking websites. For perspective, there were more than 2,400 canceled flights on the prior Monday alone, hinting at persistent chaos.

Looking ahead to Wednesday, over 800 domestic and international flights have already been scrapped. Several airlines have committed to informing passengers about cancellations ahead of time, following FAA guidance issued last week.

Additionally, FAA restrictions affecting commercial aircraft operations at 12 major airports took effect Monday. Ed Bolen, the president of the National Business Aviation Association, noted that these new rules would effectively bar commercial flights at certain airports.

Once the shutdown concludes, air traffic controllers will be entitled to back pay under federal law. However, it’s uncertain how long that process might take. Historical precedent suggests delays; during the last shutdown in 2019, controllers didn’t receive their full pay until over two months after it ended, according to Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

On Monday evening, the Senate approved a bill to reopen the government, sending it forward to the House. Should the House approve it, it would then be sent to the president for final approval.