Right now.....I am much more worried about flying into Atlanta on Sunday, and flying back out on Thursday. With the Shutdown. And ........the Super Bowl traffic being amped up for Atlanta.
We see today flights cancelled and delayed along the east coast because of traffic control shortages. This is not going to end well.
This should make you feel better.
They'll have some ground stops here and there throughout the day to control incoming and outgoing flights.
If you listen to ATC on the internet all major airports are moving along as usual.
Despite the government shutdown, millions of travelers still pass through the country's airports every day.
In recent days, some of the most critical players in commercial air travel have expressed concern over understaffing, delayed payments and stress brought on by government furloughs.
Their worries invite an uneasy question: Is air travel as safe as usual during the shutdown?
Yes, and here's why
Safety is in everyone's interest
Here's the bottom line: No one wants air travel to be unsafe. Not travelers, not government employees, not agencies, not air carriers, no one. To that end, while a government shutdown affects a lot of aspects of air transportation, safety is prioritized above all.
"Yes, I'd still fly," said Mary Schiavo, CNN Transportation Analyst and former Inspector General of the United States Department of Transportation.
"This has happened before, time and time again, and agencies know who has to be there to guarantee safety and security and who doesn't," she added. "If you are needed to perform an important safety function, you will work and you accepted that responsibility when you took the job."
While fatigue, stress and going without a paycheck are certainly serious issues, Schiavo says they shouldn't contribute to a purposeful dip in efficacy.
"I would never assume without evidence that federal employees are doing everything to jeopardize the safety and security of the public -- for instance, being negligent or sloppy on the job," she said. "Most government workers are dedicated public servants who love their country."
A TSA spokesman said Wednesday that security at checkpoints across the country is just as effective as ever and average wait times are within TSA standards.
"Security standards will NOT and have NOT been compromised," said Michael Bilello, TSA assistant administrator for public affairs, on Twitter.
Airlines are keeping up with their safety checks
Former TSA Board member and independent safety consultant John Goglia points out that some procedures usually carried out by the FAA, such as aircraft inspections, are mirrored by airlines' internal procedures.
And while the FAA may be understaffed, there's no reason to suspect airlines would slack on any safety or maintenance measures, he says.
"Carriers would be absolutely crazy to be irresponsible now," Goglia told CNN. "When the government gets back, I'm sure there are going to be a number of audits done. And maintenance inspectors will be back, and they will be looking over what [other inspectors] did in their absence."
"I am working with one of those carriers right now," he said. "And I can tell you there is absolutely no change in their operations."
Measures are in place to keep things running securely
As CNN first reported, concerns have been raised in the past week about the number of call-outs among TSA employees, who are considered "accepted" personnel -- they have to report to work but will not be paid until the government reopens. The Air Traffic Controllers Union, Aviation Safety Inspectors Union and various other groups and air travel experts have issued statements condemning the various consequences of the shutdown.
For now, experts say these consequences -- stress, no pay and fewer resources -- do not effect the end goal of safety.
"Departments will operate in a safe and secure manner, even if it means cutting back," Schiavo said. For instance, even if TSA staffing is hobbled by the shutdown, airports can limit the number of open TSA lanes to make sure screenings aren't affected, she said.
And instead of dealing with more planes than they could handle at one time, air traffic controllers can regulate the flow of aircraft coming or going from an airport.
"They may increase the separation between planes, they may restrict the number of flights, but they will make it work," Schiavo said.
