As the US government shutdown reaches the end of its fifth week, one of America’s most popular travel hubs has come close to cancelling all landings after a last-minute scramble for air traffic controllers.
Thousands of flights are being delayed across the US due to staffing shortages amid the government shutdown.
The funding debacle stems from Senate Democrats’ opposition to a Republican-authored government funding bill that lacks provisions for Obamacare funding.
As a result of a shutdown, federal workers such as military personnel and air traffic controllers, are either furloughed or required to work for no pay.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Thursday evening that there would be ‘no certified controllers for a period of time’, which would ‘prevent landings’ at Orlando Airport, the closest major airport to both Disney World and Universal Studios.
It later reversed the order when enough staff were found, but flights in and out of Orlando faced delays, some up to 90 minutes.
There were also delays at Dallas/Fort Worth and Washington DC Airport.
FlightAware, a flight tracking website, said nearly 6,000 flights had been delayed and 1,100 cancelled nationwide on Thursday, impacting 20% per cent of flights at United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, according to Sky News.
As the US government shutdown reaches the end of its fifth week , one of America’s most popular travel hubs came close to cancelling all landings after a last-minute scramble for air traffic controllers
Since the US government shutdown began on 1 October, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been required to work without pay.
Vice President JD Vance warned Thursday that holiday air travel could become a ‘disaster’ if the shutdown is not resolved.
He said: ‘What happens when the security lines are not an hour long, but they’re four hours long?
‘What happens when pilots start not showing up for work because they’re so focused on paying the bills, they can’t fly the plane safely?
‘That’s going to lead to massive delays.’
Vance added that federal workers missing paychecks could fail to show up for work, further straining airport operations.
Some are taking second jobs to make ends meet and the number calling in sick has increased.
Earlier this week, transport secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News: ‘I’m seeing the stress come for the controllers.’
A flight tracking website said nearly 6,000 flights had been delayed and 1,100 cancelled nationwide on Thursday, impacting 20% per cent of flights at United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines
He explained how workers were struggling to come to work without the security of being paid.
Sean revealed: ‘Just yesterday we had 22 staffing triggers, that’s one of the highest that we’ve seen in the system since the shutdown began and that’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin.’
Currently in its 30th day, the shutdown is poised to soon become the longest period in American history during which the federal government has not been fully operational.
President Donald Trump set the current record during his first term for a shutdown that lasted 35 days, between December 2018 and January 2019.
If the government is not funded before next Wednesday, November 5, the ongoing funding gap will surpass that first-term feat.
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Major USA airport close to cancelling all flights amid government’s shutdown
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