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.

or if it gets bad, I hope it gets bad real quick. The airline issues are what ended the shutdown in 2019.

 

[RickNJane]

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.

We are doing the same! We can always drive, but being in PNW that makes it a 4 day drive! Unfortunately my DD, our SIL and the Grandkids are also coming and they cannot afford the extra time. So could be an extended vacation for us! Things should be sorted out by then. Pretty much out of our control, so trying to plan and not worry.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Same administration. The long shutdown was in 2019.

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

Length of shutdown isn't the same as discussing what impacts there would be. You can't use length to determine the severity of impacts to the consumer as each shutdown or government furlough has different components to it. The length of time a shut down occurs could be discussed in terms of impact to the masses as the longer something goes on generally the more people it impacts but you wouldn't want to say "oh well it's only after 30 days that the real stuff happens"

If you're asking about flights that is going to depend on who is being impacted in the airline industry and to what degree and the ripple effects. Other government shutdowns have impacted things like social program payments much more or the IRS more or the National Parks more. Over the years the FAA in particular (along with pilots) has been very pinched on staffing levels and so has also the entire employment world if you think about it, the way people approach their job, even while being ordered to work, isn't as easy to predict the patience level so to speak to work under the conditions that would be asked if a shutdown were to occur. And very relevant but certain airports like Newark are already very precarious in their present situation.

All that to say I wouldn't be like the sky is fall but I also wouldn't use length of a past shutdown to think about how quickly or how much an impact to someone would be.

 

[japanese maple]

Length of shutdown isn't the same as discussing what impacts there would be. You can't use length to determine the severity of impacts to the consumer as each shutdown or government furlough has different components to it. The length of time a shut down occurs could be discussed in terms of impact to the masses as the longer something goes on generally the more people it impacts but you wouldn't want to say "oh well it's only after 30 days that the real stuff happens"

If you're asking about flights that is going to depend on who is being impacted in the airline industry and to what degree and the ripple effects. Other government shutdowns have impacted things like social program payments much more or the IRS more or the National Parks more. Over the years the FAA in particular (along with pilots) has been very pinched on staffing levels and so has also the entire employment world if you think about it, the way people approach their job, even while being ordered to work, isn't as easy to predict the patience level so to speak to work under the conditions that would be asked if a shutdown were to occur. And very relevant but certain airports like Newark are already very precarious in their present situation.

All that to say I wouldn't be like the sky is fall but I also wouldn't use length of a past shutdown to think about how quickly or how much an impact to someone would be.

yeah, well it's out of my control so I'm not going to think on it and plan anymore than I already have.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

yeah, well it's out of my control so I'm not going to think on it and plan anymore than I already have.

You're the one to create the thread asking questions or opinions

 

[japanese maple]

We are doing the same! We can always drive, but being in PNW that makes it a 4 day drive! Unfortunately my DD, our SIL and the Grandkids are also coming and they cannot afford the extra time. So could be an extended vacation for us! Things should be sorted out by then. Pretty much out of our control, so trying to plan and not worry.

I just booked a rental car for on the way there too, just in case! Hell or high water, we're going!

Hopefully everything works out in the end and this will go down as just another one of my crazy episodes.