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U.S. NEWS Saturday 19 January 2019

FLIGHT INDUSTRY holiday. The Transportation "Luckily this is the low
Continued from Front Security Administration season — January is one of
Longer lines are evident at predicts it will screen over 8 the weakest months of the
some airports. But delays million passengers between year," said Savanthi Syth, an
resulting from a rise in Friday and Monday, up airline analyst for Raymond
federal security screeners 10.8 percent from last year's James. "This spilling into
calling in sick have been MLK weekend. And it will February is a real concern.
slight. do so with fewer screeners. The risk is that the longer this
Yet concern is quickly On Thursday, the TSA said drags out, it might cause
growing. President Donald 6.4 percent of screeners some passengers to say, 'I
Trump and Democrats in missed work — nearly don't want to deal with all
Congress remain far apart double the 3.8 percent rate the hassle, maybe I won't
over Trump's insistence on on the same day in 2018. take that trip.'"
funding for a wall along A TSA spokesman said Consumers are, in fact,
the Mexican border as the agency was offering taking a dimmer view
the price of reopening overtime to screeners for of the economy, in part
the government. With this weekend, though because of the shutdown.
the two sides trading those workers wouldn't be A measure of consumer Travelers organize their luggage before entering a security
taunts and avoiding talks, paid — for their regular pay confidence fell this month checkpoint at Miami International Airport, Friday, Jan. 18, 2019,
in Miami. The three-day holiday weekend is likely to bring
travel industry analysts or for overtime— until the by the most in more than bigger airport crowds.
and economists have shutdown eventually ends. six years, according to Associated Press
been calculating the On top of potentially the University of Michigan,
potential damage should longer airport security lines which conducts the survey. the same period last year, evenings last weekend. On
the shutdown drag into this weekend, a blast of If Americans were to cut according to STR, a travel the other hand, officials
February or beyond. winter weather could snarl back on travel and other research firm. That's much at airports in New York,
Airlines and hotels would travel this weekend in the discretionary spending, it steeper than the 8 percent Los Angeles, Chicago
suffer. So would parks and Midwest and Northeast. would weaken consumer decline that occurred and Miami said they
restaurants that cater to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta spending, the U.S. nationwide. weren't experiencing any
travelers. And, eventually, International, home to company's primary fuel. Michael Bellisario, an problems.
the broader U.S. economy, Delta Air Lines, has likely Laura Mandala, who runs a analyst for investment bank The problems would
already absorbing a been the hardest hit airport. travel and tourism research R.W. Baird, suggested that emerge if the shutdown
trade war with China Delta said this week that firm, said the shutdown other factors accounted for persists, and the damage
and a global economic the shutdown will cost it $25 might discourage the most of the nationwide would extend to the
slowdown, would endure million in January because international travelers, too. drop but said the shutdown private companies that
another blow. fewer federal employees "These uncertainties will almost certainly played operate airport shops and
The travel and tourism and contractors will result in fewer conferences a role. "In no way is the restaurants.
industries generate about be flying. By contrast, being booked," government shutdown a Mike Boyd, an airport
$1.6 trillion in U.S. economic United Airlines, which has Mandala said, leading to positive for hotel demand consultant in Colorado,
activity — one-twelfth of a substantial presence "convention and hotel staff and travel," Bellisario said. noted that a pullback
the economy — and one around Washington, D.C., layoffs, reduced schedules, If the shutdown lingers and in travel would be felt
in 20 jobs, according to the said it hasn't felt much resulting in less income for people see more reports of most in airports that are
Commerce Department. impact yet. workers to spend in the long TSA lines on television heavily dependent on
Macroeconomic Advisers But the airlines fear that if local economy." news, "they will say, 'Oh government employees
says it now expects the the shutdown doesn't end Hotels are starting to feel wow, traveling is hard,' such as Reagan National
economy to expand at just soon, more TSA agents will the impact, particularly and that impacts the hotel Airport outside Washington,
a 1.4 percent annual rate in call in sick or quit. A shortage in the Washington, D.C., industry," said Jan Freitag, a Manhattan Regional
the first three months of this of screeners would cause region but also in other senior vice president at STR. Airport in Kansas, near
year, down from its previous security lines to swell. Air cities with substantial For now, though, the most the Army's Fort Riley, and
forecast of 1.6 percent, traffic controllers, who are federal workforces, such visible impact has been at Watertown International
because of reduced also working without pay, as San Diego, which has a airports. One of the seven Airport in upstate New York,
government spending say they, too, are short- large naval base. checkpoints at Houston's near Fort Drum.
during the shutdown. staffed. If the controller In the Washington area, main airport has been Federal employees going
America's air-travel system shortage became severe including its nearby suburbs closed all week and will without pay — there are
will face its sternest this enough, the government in Maryland and Virginia, remain so indefinitely, a about 800,000 of them,
weekend, which coincides could restrict the number hotel revenue plunged 26 spokesman said. Miami including 420,000 who are
with Martin Luther King Jr. of flights, though some percent in the second week closed one concourse still working — are already
Day on Monday, a federal analysts think that's unlikely. of January compared with during the afternoons and suffering, of course.q