Is it safe to fly during the government shutdown? Here’s what aviation experts say

By Alexandra Skores, CNN

Washington (CNN) — Air traffic controllers not showing up to work or taking second jobs to make ends meet, coupled with long lines at the airport and delays, understandably heighten the anxieties of some passengers.

Since the start of the shutdown, controllers and other essential workers, like Transportation Security Administration screeners, have been required to do their jobs but won’t be paid until after the government reopens.

The union representing controllers believes the longer the shutdown drags on, the more risks are introduced into the system.

“Every single day that this goes on tomorrow is now less safe than today,” said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association on CNN News Central. “We’re supposed to go to work and be 100%, 100% of the time. I’m going to work right now, and I’m thinking about, how do I pay my rent?”

For over 34 days, the federal government has been shut down. For travelers, the shutdown has caused some TSA wait times and flight delays to skyrocket.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, those delays are one way controllers are keeping passengers safe. Flights are slowed down so the employees who showed up to work can manage them.

“Is there more risk in the system when you have a shutdown? Absolutely there’s more risk,” he said on CNBC Monday. “If we thought that it was unsafe… we’ll shut the whole airspace down. We won’t let people travel. We’re not there at this point. It’s just significant delays,”

Compromising predictability

For some, like Erik Hansen senior vice president of government relations at the US Travel Association, a shutdown compromises the reliability of air travel.

“The challenge is that the system is never going to compromise safety, but we’re absolutely compromising predictability and the ability of Americans to get to where they want to go on time,” Hansen said.

Shortages have been widespread across the country in places like Chicago, Denver, Houston and Newark causing ground delays and disrupting passengers.

Controllers who aren’t able to focus on the job under these trying circumstances should call out sick, Mike McCormick an assistant professor of Air Traffic Management at Embry-Riddle University, told CNN.

“If controllers were more reporting to work in such a condition that they could not be 100%, for their air traffic control duties, then, yes, that creates a risk of safety,” McCormick said. “From what I’m seeing across the system, controllers are recognizing their limitations, and they’re not reporting to work, so that is actually helping to keep the system safe.”

Stressful jobs become even more stressful

Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport is warning passengers it could take three hours to get though TSA checkpoints due to staffing shortages. Long lines snaked around the terminal Sunday.

“Call-outs will continue to rise in TSA, because those frontline employees are forced with making those decisions,” said Keith Jeffries, vice president of K2 Security Screening Group and a former TSA federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport.

Jeffries believes it is still safe to fly but knows there’s going to be delays. He thinks the aviation transportation system will see a “domino effect,” as the turmoil of the shutdown lingers.

“Flying is safe, but you know you’re going to have, certainly, front line employees, are they thinking about that next bill that is due, and they can’t afford to pay it? Or are they focused on looking for dangerous, prohibited items? You can make that argument,” he said.

Union leaders and most major airlines have said the answer is not complicated, Congress to end the shutdown so controllers and TSA workers can be paid.

“Our message is simple, open the government, and it has to open now,” Daniels said.

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