What air travelers should know about the government shutdown

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

What air travelers should know about the government shutdown

By DAVID KOENIG
January 8, 2019

DALLAS (AP) — The partial government shutdown is starting to affect air travel.

Over the weekend, some airports had long lines at checkpoints, apparently caused by a rising number of security officers calling in sick while they are not getting paid.

Safety inspectors aren’t even on the job. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Monday that inspectors are being called back to work on a case-by-case basis, with a priority put on inspecting airline fleets.

So far, the impact of the shutdown — entering its 18th day on Tuesday — has been most visible for some government buildings and national parks being closed, and trash piling up on the National Mall in front of the Capitol. If the shutdown continues, food stamp recipients will go without aid.

By increasingly affecting air travel, however, the pain is being felt more widely.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/b0034bf33e214cd6b6a85ae1c23bdcaf

[Major Nikon]

1. Imagine sitting at home not getting paid and getting the call to come back to work and not get paid

How many people do they think are going to answer their phone?

Meanwhile airline and charter pilots have to be recertified every 6 months and that whole program is in chaos due to the shutdown.

Not to mention Trump seems to think he can carry on with a TSA and air traffic control system for years with workers that aren't getting paid.