(Washington) While the impasse between Republicans and Democrats was at its 36e day Wednesday, an expert warned that the U.S. government shutdown — the longest in the country’s history — could disrupt the travel plans of some Canadians.
It’s unclear how long this shutdown will last, leaving federal workers without pay for a second time and Americans facing a busy holiday season at airports, compounded by a shortage of air traffic controllers and airport staff.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a 10% reduction in air traffic capacity in 40 high-traffic markets starting Friday morning to ensure safety during the government shutdown.
Mr. Duffy and the US Federal Aviation Administration said they would meet with airline executives on Wednesday. The affected markets will not be announced until Thursday.
Mr Duffy warns of flight disruptions as air traffic controllers continue to go unpaid.
According to CNN, last weekend the United States experienced its worst shortage of air traffic controllers since the shutdown began on 1er october.
Photos shared on social media showed endless queues at airports as flight delays and cancellations piled up.
Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston warned passengers on Sunday that it could take three hours to get through security due to staffing shortages.
Even as many Canadians avoid traveling to the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats of annexation, they may not be able to escape the fallout from the U.S. government shutdown.
John Gradek, an aviation specialist at McGill University, points out that the North American air transportation system is integrated. So, delays at U.S. airports for planes bound for Canada could cause additional delays.
And the problems don’t stop there, Mr. Gradek emphasizes.
When a plane departs from southern Ontario to travel to Western Canada, “a significant portion of that flight flies over American airspace.” Canadians who want to warm up in Mexico also fly over the United States.
“Normally, the transfer between Canadian and American air traffic controllers goes smoothly,” says Mr. Gradek.
However, if some specialized American air traffic controllers stop showing up for work, this could hamper the plans of Canadian travelers, according to Mr. Gradek.
“If air traffic control capabilities are slowed or reduced in places like Albuquerque, for example, that will affect the ability of Canadian carriers to operate in U.S. airspace when transiting through it,” he explains.
Transport Canada is monitoring the situation closely through its Operations Center, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, department spokesperson Hicham Ayoun said in a statement sent by email.
Mr. Ayoun advised travelers leaving Canadian airports to check the status of their flights in advance.
No reconciliation
Democrats and Republicans continue to blame each other for the budget shutdown, which has halted operations at many government agencies, put hundreds of thousands of public workers on forced leave and jeopardized federal food benefits for millions of Americans.
Republicans say their bill to extend federal funds is not controversial, but Democrats say they won’t support the legislation unless it provides an extension of expiring health benefits.
In an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Mr. Trump warned that he would only negotiate health benefits once the government reopens. The president said he is hopeful that Democrats will capitulate to Republicans.
“I think they have no choice,” Mr. Trump said in the interview broadcast Sunday. “And if they don’t vote, that’s their problem.” »
Not a first
Airport workers played a key role in ending the budgetary shutdown that occurred during Mr. Trump’s first term — which held the record for longevity until the current shutdown.
During the 35-day shutdown, which spanned from late 2018 to early 2019, employees deemed essential, including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration personnel, were forced to continue working without pay.
They then began to call in sick more frequently, which led to significant delays at airports.
A similar situation is occurring now, as the number of grounded planes at U.S. airports increases due to staffing issues.
Before the shutdown, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration was already facing a shortage of air traffic controllers.
On Oct. 31, it reported that half of its 30 major facilities were experiencing staffing shortages and that nearly 80 percent of air traffic controllers at New York-area facilities were absent that day.
“The paralysis must end so that these controllers can receive the salaries they have earned and travelers can avoid further disruptions and delays,” the agency argued.
— With information from the Associated Press
