Government shutdown - flights?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We don't go until 10/28. Part of me is hoping next week is bad enough that it forces them to end shutdown like last time. They say next week is when everyone misses their first paycheck. Yeessh, I wouldn't want to work either.

Leaving first flights of the morning, we can handle an hour or so delay if that's the worst of it.

Glad you're not flying til later on but others are...

My husband flies through Denver on Monday, I certainly am not wishing it gets bad enough next week just so your travel may be less likely to experience issues.

Keep in mind flights early in the morning rely on a plane actually being there for that scheduled flight, delays or cancellations late the evening before can impact a plane from making a destination for the next day's flights.

 

[japanese maple]

Glad you're not flying til later on but others are...

My husband flies through Denver on Monday, I certainly am not wishing it gets bad enough next week just so your travel may be less likely to experience issues.

Keep in mind flights early in the morning rely on a plane actually being there for that scheduled flight, delays or cancellations late the evening before can impact a plane from making a destination for the next day's flights.

Whatever will be, will be! Hope your husband's flight has no issues!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Whatever will be, will be! Hope your husband's flight has no issues!

My point has always been you were convinced it wouldn't be an issue until 2 weeks to a month in despite at least me telling you you can't use a different shutdown to confidently know what would happen in the case of another one. It took 5 days (one airport had zero coverage for hours which is very bad) and is now impacting more airports; "Delays due to a shortage of air traffic controllers were reported at airports in Boston; Philadelphia; Nashville, Tennessee; Houston; Chicago; and Las Vegas". You created a thread at the start being concerned and then became flippant and still are about the impacts when pushed about just when issues would arise assumedly because your travel wasn't until a bit over a month from when this thread was created. No, whatever will be won't be at least for people who are feeling the impacts now which you appear to not care much about (hopefully the poster coming back from international travel has minimal to no impact for example).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/airport-delays-hit-second-day-government-shutdown-rcna236122

"the number of domestic and international flight delays has been surging in recent days, with more than 6,000 reported Monday, compared with roughly 3,000 delays Saturday, according to the flight tracker website FlightAware. There were just over 1,000 delays within, into, or out of the United States as of Tuesday morning"

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/us/shutdown-impacts-travelers
"There will not be enough air traffic controllers in the tower at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport Tuesday night, the Federal Aviation Administration is warning. In Nashville, so many controllers have stayed home the facility, which guides planes into and out of the airport, is closing."

"The approach and departure facilities for Houston, Newark and Las Vegas all do not have enough controllers working for at least part of Tuesday evening, along with the facilities that handle planes in the Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas areas, FAA operations plans noted.

"Houston’s two major airports, Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, are both expected to see ground delays because of the staffing shortage."

"Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is expected not to have a full complement of controllers in the air traffic control tower for nine hours Tuesday night. The airport is one of the busiest in the country, with more than 1000 flights a day. Early Tuesday evening ground delays for flights headed to O’Hare averaged 41 minutes."

"In Nashville, the approach facility, which guides planes into and out of the airport, had to shut down for five hours Tuesday night. Flights heading to the airport had to contact a regional air traffic control center in Memphis to enter the airspace. Ground delays for flights headed to Nashville were expected to average two hours Tuesday night."

And crazy stuff here with Burbank last night shutting down their FAA tower the pilots had to work with other pilots on coordinating their landings and take offs.

And I guess it was other airports (some already mentioned in other news articles) that were impacted last night: "Only the air traffic control tower in Burbank closed Monday night, but 11 other Federal Aviation Administration facilities saw staffing shortages that night. The control towers in Phoenix and Denver had so-called “staffing triggers” reported in the public FAA operations plan. Other facilities that handle air traffic around airports in Newark, New Jersey; Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago, Washington, DC, and Indianapolis were also short-staffed."

 

[japanese maple]

My point has always been you were convinced it wouldn't be an issue until 2 weeks to a month in despite at least me telling you you can't use a different shutdown to confidently know what would happen in the case of another one. It took 5 days (one airport had zero coverage for hours which is very bad) and is now impacting more airports; "Delays due to a shortage of air traffic controllers were reported at airports in Boston; Philadelphia; Nashville, Tennessee; Houston; Chicago; and Las Vegas". You created a thread at the start being concerned and then became flippant and still are about the impacts when pushed about just when issues would arise assumedly because your travel wasn't until a bit over a month from when this thread was created. No, whatever will be won't be at least for people who are feeling the impacts now which you appear to not care much about (hopefully the poster coming back from international travel has minimal to no impact for example).

I'm sorry you're looking for an argument, but I'm not interested in having one. Life is stressful enough as it is. Whatever will be will be is what I tell myself when something is out of my control. It makes me feel better.

Good luck traveling everyone and stay safe!

 

[focusondisney]

Looks like it was more widespread than originally being reported

https://www.kctv5.com/2025/10/07/fl...hutdown-leads-air-traffic-staffing-shortages/

"A dozen Federal Aviation Administration facilities saw staff shortages Monday because of the ongoing government shutdown, leading to flight delays. The effects of the government shutdown were felt by many travelers Monday night as air traffic controller staffing issues led to delays at major airports, including Phoenix, Denver and several major Midwest and East Coast hubs."

I really do sympathize with the traveling public right now. Major travel disruptions might be 1 of the few things that can influence republicans to settle the shut down. So I’ve got to say…kudos to ATC.

 

[hardcorestitch]

I really do sympathize with the traveling public right now. Major travel disruptions might be 1 of the few things that can influence republicans to settle the shut down. So I’ve got to say…kudos to ATC.

Likely only if the government officials THEMSELVES get stuck in the airport…

 

[focusondisney]

Likely only if the government officials THEMSELVES get stuck in the airport…

The last shut down, in 2018-19, was settled after major travel disruptions when ATC started calling in sick. I’m holding out hope same might happen this time, and soon.

 

[eandt]

I read yesterday (as I was sitting in the airport for our return trip) that travelers are unlikely to see little, if any, impact. However, air traffic personnel are required to continue working without pay until the shutdown ends, and I wonder how long that will last before controllers will get "sick"and/or just plain tired. And unfortunately we've been delayed due to an airport being closed because of "safety reasons due to too few air traffic controllers", so I just hope for the best for people flying!

If they have that little respect for the job they do then I don’t want them ‘controlling’ any air traffic period … quit go get a job that doesn’t have the threat of shut down every year or even every quarter these days as we haven’t had a budget in more than 15 years … I have been through state shut downs and being essential in both legal and professional terms I and all 4000+ of my colleagues continued to come to work and give our best every day. These people know at some point this will end and like always they will be paid so show up and do your job… many businesses and financial institutions provide help along the way to those that need it … even if this idiocy is settled tomorrow come December or January we are going to be right back here again

 

[RedHead0186]

I really do sympathize with the traveling public right now. Major travel disruptions might be 1 of the few things that can influence republicans to settle the shut down. So I’ve got to say…kudos to ATC.

I am currently in Ottawa for a conference, I fly back to Chicago on Friday. Unless I get stuck in Canada, which honestly wouldn't be the worst right now...