JD Vance has declared an “aviation emergency.” The aviation industry has been plunged into crisis as the government shutdown reaches day 38. Over 800 flights were canceled, leaving passengers stranded and confused.
The ongoing government shutdown and stalled funding talks are exposing deep cracks in the system. The administration is struggling to pay military personnel, TSA workers, air-traffic controllers, along with thousands of other federal employees.
The U.S. government shutdown is now disrupting air travel across the country. Flights are being delayed or canceled by the FAA to manage staffing shortages.
Most travelers don’t know this — but your credit card might already cover you.
👇 A short thread on what’s actually…
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Vance recently addressed the chaos in the aviation world, noting that the US is now facing an aviation emergency. “The shutdown has now passed from farce into tragedy,” he noted. He also went on to claim that the “consequences of this national emergency” fall on senators and congressmen who refuse to reopen the government.
According to a report by FlightAware, over 800 flights have been cancelled in light of the government shutdown. At the same time, airlines have been left to figure out how to reroute several flight trajectories.
Several flights flying out of Chicago airport, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Denver, and Fort Worth have just been axed instead. Around 20 flights flying into Los Angeles, Newark, and San Francisco have been canceled. Airlines, including Southwest and United, have axed 2% of their total flights.
Reports reveal that around 400 flights have faced significant delays, and the number will only rise if the shutdown continues. On Thursday night, the passengers at Newark faced three-hour delays.
An airport employee told The New York Post that more disruptions are expected in the coming days. “Tomorrow, the FAA will just shut down. Get out while you can,” they warned.
Bryan Bedford, the FAA administrator, spoke about how the current situation has never arisen in the history of American aviation. “I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford noted.
“We’re a thousand controllers short across the country.” – FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on the government shutdown’s effect on air travel. pic.twitter.com/NH0C5VV7NK
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He said the government shutdown is ‘new territory’ for the entire nation. The shutdown has now surpassed the length of the one during Trump’s first term.
The current shutdown, which has now stretched over 38 days, marks the longest shutdown in the history of the United States. FAA officials have had to make the decision to ask several airports to reduce capacity. Doing so would ensure the safety of passengers and everyone involved in the operations while a shortage of air traffic control workers is being tackled.
