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A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 9 January 2019

What air travelers should know about the government shutdown

By DAVID KOENIG, AP Air- other government employ-
lines Writer ees, making them more
DALLAS (AP) — The partial vulnerable if they don’t get
government shutdown is paid.
starting to affect air travel. TSA spokesman Jim Grego-
Over the weekend, some ry said officials are manag-
airports had long lines at ing. “If we don’t have ap-
checkpoints, apparently propriations by midweek or
caused by a rising number so, (officers) will miss their
of security officers calling in first paycheck. That’s ob-
sick as they face the pros- viously where it becomes
pect of missing their first more difficult,” he said.
paycheck this week. Gregory said the agency
Safety inspectors aren’t has a team of officers who
even on the job. can go to airports facing a
A Federal Aviation Admin- shortage, a tactic devel-
istration spokesman said oped in case natural disas-
Monday that inspectors ters prevented screeners
are being called back to from getting to work.
work on a case-by-case ___
basis, with a priority put on WHAT ABOUT TRAFFIC CON-
inspecting airline fleets. TROLLERS?
So far, the most visible signs About 1,900 air traffic con-
of the shutdown — in its trollers — nearly one in ev-
18th day yesterday — in- In this March 16, 2017, file photo, air traffic controllers work in the tower at John F. Kennedy ery five — are eligible to
clude the closure of some International Airport in New York. retire right now.
government buildings and Associated Press. “I don’t know how long
national parks and trash down’s impact on airports ministration, about 51,000 have always been paid af- they’re going to stay on
overflowing bins on the Na- and travel, along with the Transportation Security Ad- ter past shutdowns ended, the job if they are not get-
tional Mall in front of the answers: ministration officers, and and that is the widespread ting a paycheck,” said Paul
Capitol. ___ an undisclosed number of expectation this time too. Rinaldi, president of the Na-
By increasingly affecting air WHO IS SUPPOSED TO KEEP federal air marshals have ___ tional Air Traffic Controllers
travel, however, the pain WORKING? been told to keep report- ARE THEY SHOWING UP? Association.
will be felt more widely. About 10,000 air traffic ing to work because they TSA acknowledges that There is an even larger
Here are some common controllers who work for are deemed essential. more screeners are calling group of recently hired
questions about the shut- the Federal Aviation Ad- Government employees in sick at some airports, in- trainees and apprentices,
cluding Dallas-Fort Worth and Rinaldi said a long shut-
International. down could cause some of
It gave few numbers but them to take other jobs.
issued a statement Friday ___
saying that more have WILL THE SHUTDOWN LEAD
been missing work since the TO FLIGHT DELAYS?
Christmas and New Year’s Rinaldi said safety is not be-
holidays. The TSA said the ing compromised but that
effect was “minimal.” capacity to manage traf-
Then over the weekend, fic could be reduced if the
travelers reported longer shutdown worsens an exist-
checkpoint lines at some ing shortage of controllers.
airports, including LaGuar- That could lead to flight de-
dia in New York. lays, he said. Others are not
On Monday, TSA tweeted so sure.
that agents screened 2.22 “It would have to get pret-
million passengers nation- ty bad before the govern-
wide on Sunday, which it ment said (to airlines), ‘Hey,
called a “historically busy start scaling back your
day due to holiday travel.” plans for service,’” said
TSA said only about 220,000 Richard Aboulafia, an avi-
travelers waited at least ation analyst. “You could
15 minutes at checkpoints, see that in a worst-case
while 0.2 percent — fewer scenario.”
than 5,000 — waited at An early test of the air traffic
least 30 minutes. system could come around
___ the Feb. 3 Super Bowl in
HOW WILL TSA RESPOND TO Atlanta, when an influx of
NO-SHOWS? corporate jets and private
Airport screeners start planes will further crowd
around $24,000 and most the sky above the nation’s
earn between $26,000 and busiest airport.
$35,000 a year, according Planning for handling that
to TSA. traffic has been put on
That is far less than many hold, Rinaldi said.q