Government shutdown - flights?

[japanese maple]

Logistical conversation only please, no politics!

So if there is government shutdown and it lasts, I read last time when it lasted 30 days, flights started to be disrupted. We will be traveling in the new few weeks, so just in case this happens, is there a better time to have a flight out or does it not even matter? I can choose an earlier flight home if it would make a difference.

Hopefully this won't happen!

 

[gottalovepluto]

It appears it might affect travel, unless it's different this time. Looks like in the past essential employees like FAA and TSA have had to work, but without pay (they got backpay after it was done). Go a few weeks without pay and people for some reason don't feel like showing up to work. Shocking I know.

If it wasn't a big deal to my travels I'd favor traveling earlier in the day, leaving more time for delays/issues and I've have an eye on getting to the airport a bit earlier.

 

[japanese maple]

It appears it might affect travel, unless it's different this time. Looks like in the past essential employees like FAA and TSA have had to work, but without pay (they got backpay after it was done). Go a few weeks without pay and people for some reason don't feel like showing up to work. Shocking I know.

If it wasn't a big deal to my travels I'd favor traveling earlier in the day, leaving more time for delays/issues and I've have an eye on getting to the airport a bit earlier.

Yeah, I think if Wednesday comes and it's shut down, I'll just move to the earliest flight on way home. On way there we can't really go any earlier so hopefully not too bad a delay.

Also made a reservation for a car rental on way home as a back up just in case!

 

[hardcorestitch]

The government once again being a platypus. Sure hope both sides can find a solution.

 

[jimmymc]

The first direct flight of the day will always be the best option for logistics. Lower chance of delays stacking up or staff hitting their limits.

If the first flight of the day is absurdly early, the second direct one probably isn't a high risk either.

 

[LilyWDW]

I am keeping my fingers crossed that impacts don't happen right away. I leave Tuesday so that flight should be fine. I am worried about my return flight on Saturday though. It is not the earliest flight and I can't change it at this point. Going to try and arrive a bit earlier then originally planned (I already do 2 hours).

 

[japanese maple]

I am keeping my fingers crossed that impacts don't happen right away. I leave Tuesday so that flight should be fine. I am worried about my return flight on Saturday though. It is not the earliest flight and I can't change it at this point. Going to try and arrive a bit earlier then originally planned (I already do 2 hours).

Nothing will happen to flights in the first few days. It was the last shutdown that lasted over 30 days when people started using sick days because they weren't getting paid for two pay periods at that point.

My flights in are 30 days! Although I read most delays were only about an hour.

 

[LilyWDW]

Nothing will happen to flights in the first few days. It was the last shutdown that lasted over 30 days when people started using sick days because they weren't getting paid for two pay periods at that point.

My flights in are 30 days! Although I read most delays were only about an hour.

I hope for both our sakes that something happens before we have to worry about it. My friend talked down my anxiety (I deal with general anxiety and flying increases that even in the best of times lol) and I have a plan.

 

[RickNJane]

This has us concerned as well. We leave in 40 days. It is going to be a crapshoot. DW worked for SSA during the last long shutdown. They were deemed essential and had to show up for work. They did get paid eventually, but it was a lump sum and more taxes, etc were taken out. We were lucky in that my paycheck covered the bills. Many people were not so lucky. Bills still have to be paid. In may cases daycare needs to be paid. Many lenders did cut people some slack, but make no mistake. It really really sucked. Some people quit showing up for work and got a second job, just so they could make a few ends meet. The longer it drags out, the more that this will happen.
I think the last time we had a long shutdown, people not showing up for work at a New York airport is what brought things to a close.
It is easy to make this political, but in the end, real peoples lives are being impacted. I have heard many pundits state that it is no big deal because of Yadda Yadda Yadda. But I can tell you it is a big deal. It will take years for many families to recover. If it happens I almost wish no one shows up to work, including congressional aids and staffers. Shut the whole thing down and dont let things stretch out. Then we would have a fast resolution.
Now Back to Planning!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I would think it depends on what is impacted, who and how especially when talking about how quickly one is impacted.

We were caught up in the April 2013 FAA furloughs which impacted us. It started while we were away on our honeymoon. It made the one and only flight on Delta operating for St. Lucia late to land in St. Lucia (from the U.S.), which was then late to board (going back to the U.S.). All but 2 connections (one of them was ours) in Atlanta were available by time we would land. We had to rush to get through Customs, ran in the airport and by the time we made it to our gate the jet bridge door had been closed but they reopened it for us (plane door was still open). Most people didn't make it to that plane who were connecting with it, we were told to just sit down where ever.

Our luggage didn't make it of course (not enough time) but they delivered it to our rental house the next day.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Nothing will happen to flights in the first few days. It was the last shutdown that lasted over 30 days when people started using sick days because they weren't getting paid for two pay periods at that point.

My flights in are 30 days! Although I read most delays were only about an hour.

This is a different animal of administration unfortunately. The impacts may be even worse than 2013.

 

[japanese maple]

This is a different animal of administration unfortunately. The impacts may be even worse than 2013.

Same administration. The long shutdown was in 2019.

Not to say things will be the same, but that's my reference point.

 

[japanese maple]

This has us concerned as well. We leave in 40 days. It is going to be a crapshoot. DW worked for SSA during the last long shutdown. They were deemed essential and had to show up for work. They did get paid eventually, but it was a lump sum and more taxes, etc were taken out. We were lucky in that my paycheck covered the bills. Many people were not so lucky. Bills still have to be paid. In may cases daycare needs to be paid. Many lenders did cut people some slack, but make no mistake. It really really sucked. Some people quit showing up for work and got a second job, just so they could make a few ends meet. The longer it drags out, the more that this will happen.
I think the last time we had a long shutdown, people not showing up for work at a New York airport is what brought things to a close.
It is easy to make this political, but in the end, real peoples lives are being impacted. I have heard many pundits state that it is no big deal because of Yadda Yadda Yadda. But I can tell you it is a big deal. It will take years for many families to recover. If it happens I almost wish no one shows up to work, including congressional aids and staffers. Shut the whole thing down and dont let things stretch out. Then we would have a fast resolution.
Now Back to Planning!

Yeah, I don't know what will happen, best I can do is prepare for it and then see what happens! If it happens, I'll probably switch our flight home to earliest flight out, but also have back up rental car reservation as a last resort.

On the way there we can't really go much earlier due to boarding our cat. But there's 4 flights out after ours, so hopefully we would get out sometime that day. Only plans on arrival day are to just "arrive" , so a delay while not ideal, won't be too bad that day.