It seems more and more likely that the federal government closes without an agreement to maintain federal funds. This could lead to some quite severe impacts on trips, especially if a shutdown is dragged for any time.
The so -called non -essential government functions will end at midnight on Tuesday if legislators and President Donald Trump cannot reach an agreement to keep the government financed. That includes things such as training facilities for air traffic controllers, some government office buildings that can house passport offices, national parks and other government institutions.
If a closure is dragged, airport safety could also be affected if some employees of the transport security administration who work without paying payment. The United States Travel Association is suggestion A closure could cost the United States travel industry about $ 1 billion each week and affect millions of travelers and businesses.
“Passengers should prepare for some government -induced turbulence,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere.
This is what you need to know about travel impacts.
Airport safety
The majority of federal workers involved with air trips are considered essential, including both the TSA and the Federal Aviation Administration. That means that even in the case of a government closure, they are supposed Keep working. However, these workers would not be paid during a closure, which could eventually lead to sick calls or did not appear.
Harteveldt told TPG that security detection officers will also face extra -time restrictions: “In the short term, passengers can notice longer airport safety lines, and there is a risk of additional delays on flights. If the closure lasts more than a week or two, I am concerned that some security workers of the TSA airport can leave their work in search of employment, and the payment of payment, in another place.
Air traffic control
Air traffic controllers are also considered essential. That means that ATC should normally operate technically; However, there is already a dramatic shortage of ATC workers, which would only be exacerbated in a closure.
Absenteeism could present a significant challenge here too. FAA is already Fighting with the shortage of workwhich have led to flight cuts in the main airports such as Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
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When a government closure lasted for weeks in 2019, a greater number of air traffic controllers requested patient or fatigued. This led to a temporary closure at Laguardia Airport (LGA) and delays in airports such as EWR, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). This airport crisis finally helped finish closingWhile the news programs covered the long lines and the travelers pressed the legislators to reach an agreement.
Keep in mind that many members of the ATC support personnel could also be out of work, further striving nerves and temperature in the control towers. Some specialists in support and supervisors working in control towers will be licensed. We saw this during 2018-2019 close.
Another problem created by the closures is the interruption of the training of new air traffic controllers, interrupting the training of new and desperately necessary ATC recruits. In a opinion piece for the New York TimesBinyamin Appelbaum said that “repeated interruptions to FAA financing in the last 15 years, caused by stops and other budgetary fights, have played a key role in the avoidance of the agency to hire and train enough controlling.”
The United States Travel Association summarizes it succinctly in its New letter (PDF Link) to the leaders of the Congress: “A closure exacerbates the shortage of personnel among the officers of the Transportation Security Administration and air traffic controls, threatening the longest airport safety lines, flight delays and cancellations.”
Passports and trusted traveler services
Fortunately, Passport services They are also considered essential and will continue during closing. Trust traveler programs are also expected to continue processing applications; Most of these services are financed by applicants’ rates.
Still, some Passport offices could close If they are in buildings led by a closed government agency. And passport processing could stop completely if the department runs out of funds and previous requests.
The employees of the United States Department of the United States would also be working without payment checks, so once again, absenteeism could eventually cause processing delays. A prolonged closure could lead to a general slowdown in passport processing times. If your passport expires, you may want to send your renewal as soon as possible.
Fortunately, postal offices will remain open. That means passport requests can be filed in person and be sent by mail for normal processing (at least for now).
Border crossings
Border crossings will remain open during any closure. The border patrol, together with much of the application of the federal law, is considered essential and, therefore, will remain open as usual, at least for now. Eventually there could be coup effects.
What about museums like Smithsonian?
Many museums in Washington, DC, such as Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo and the National Art Gallery, are financed by the Federal Government. They will remain open or provide limited access if they have reserved reserve funds, but a long -term closure could change that quickly.
During the end of 2018-2019, Smithsonian museums remained open for 11 additional days before run out of money and close. They did not open until the government reopened.
National Parks
The National Parks Service is based on government financing, so most workers are temporarily fired during closing.
While National Parks They have remained mostly open to visitors in previous stops, most workers are generally awake, which means that garbage batteries, bathrooms are not cleaned, some paths are closed and poaching and other illegal activities tend to happen more frequently.
Several dozen former park superintendents have recently advocated national parks in case of closing. “The past stops in which Gates remained open with limited staff has wounded our parks,” they wrote In a letter to the interior secretary of the Doug Burgum. They said the impacts could still be worse this time due to the dismissals instituted by the Trump administration earlier this year.
However, the Administration has not yet commented what to do with national parks and monuments in case of closing.
How would a government closure affect the travel industry?
While the average American will probably not see serious travel impacts of a government closure immediatelyIt will still have significant consequences for the industry in general.
According to the US Travel Association, the US economy could lose around $ 140 million per day during a government closure, partly due to longer waiting times at airports and deferred projects of modernization. In addition, processing times for passports, Visas and Global entrance It could be longer, which could lead visitors to postpone or cancel travel plans.
“A closure is a totally preventable blow to the United States travel economy, which reaps $ 1 billion each week, and affects millions of travelers and companies while exercising unnecessary tension in a federal workforce already excessive,” said the president and CEO of the United States Travel Association, Geoff Freeman.
End
There are few winners during a government closure, and the more you crawl, the worse it will be for the traveling public. We strongly advise travelers who pay close attention to the news and are prepared for longer lines in airport safety, possible delays in air traffic control and longer waiting times for things such as new passports or other government documents.
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