With the holidays on the horizon, holiday travelers are busier than ever, traveling to and from relatives’ homes. Similarly, airport staff are undermanned and slowly recovering from the month-long government shutdown.
The government shutdown affected almost every aspect of the American economy, from essential workers to the stock market; everything seemed to come to a slow halt. While government employees were sent home, essential workers continued their jobs without pay. Notably, air traffic controllers had to ensure that airlines ran smoothly without incident. This reality was accompanied by a significant number of ATC staff having to leave or call off work due to the increased stress and overtime work. This shortage has, in turn, forced countless fights to be delayed and canceled, even as the situation slowly returns to normalcy. As we approach the holidays, the fluctuating ease of travel is causing students to worry about the possibility of missing their relatives due to these challenges.
“Air travel is somewhat inconsistent because it’s so dependent on weather and stuff. Cancellations are probably too frequent,” senior Bennet Corrales said. “I can’t imagine that the lack of air traffic controllers is going to make their consistency any better. I think it’s kind of weird that we have such a shortage of people who fill such a crucial role. Tip your air traffic controllers.”
The government shutdown impacts nearly every aspect of an airport’s operations, not just the vital role of an air traffic controller.
“I think the government shutdown definitely affected a lot of people because it slowed down all security checkpoints, and everything had to be done while nobody was being paid,” senior Jed Okarma said. “I have family on the East Coast, so it’s good to travel. I’d like to spend the holidays with my family.”
As holiday travel is expected to intensify, worries remain stagnant and will likely remain that way until the airport staff make a full recovery.
“Traveling is part of what makes Thanksgiving a fun time. [It’s when you get to] travel to your grandparents’ house,” Corrales said.
