Between the time it takes to plan a vacation and then budgeting to actually get out there, the lead up to your vacation can be tough. It also includes the Airport Security experience. Unfortunately, it seems that the safety part of the air travel experience may soon deteriorate.
The vacation may be over, but that doesn’t mean his problems are going away. A possible government shutdown could be on the horizon, and with that could be complications in air travel.
Congress has just a few weeks left to agree on government funding or face a shutdown. Although President Biden signed a bill to continue funding government agencies through 2023, that deadline is expiring and a new funding plan must now be agreed upon to avoid a shutdown. If a deal isn’t reached by Feb. 2, funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration, will end.
Whether the shutdown actually takes place remains to be seen but travelers should be prepared for the negative impact. Airport Security like Orlando International Airport (MCO) rely on federal workers to operate, and a shutdown could cause chaos. The TSA and air traffic controllers are essential government employees, and the shutdown means they will have to work without pay.
With the prospect of vacations and added stress to an already stressful job, airline workers face a potential upswing. In the past, government shutdowns have led to airport workers being called off, side jobs to get work done, and airports understaffed.
If airports like MCO are understaffed, that means longer waits when going through TSA security checkpoints. The shutdown will also affect air traffic controllers and travel processes, potentially causing more delays.
