With federal funding set to expire Sept. 30, it is worth taking note of the Department of Transportation’s plan for operations during a lapse in appropriations. The plan, last updated in March, details how air travel would be sustained if Congress fails to reach a deal.
According to the plan, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers would continue providing services, although would have to do so with pay disruptions. Additionally, other department staff responsible for navigational aids, flight inspections, and airworthiness directives would be required to continue, albeit unpaid in the immediate-term.
New controller training at the academy would continue using prior-year funds, although hiring and field training would both be suspended.
Transportation Security Administration officers would remain on duty at checkpoints, with DHS reporting that 58,488 employees will be retained without pay.
Given that FAA and other DOT staff would remain in place, commercial flights are expected to operate normally, though officials have pointed to risks if staffing shortages emerge. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, increased callouts among TSA officers and air traffic controllers led to ground stops and delays at major airports, ABC News reported.
NATCA, the union representing controllers, warned in the past that extended shutdowns erode “critical layers of safety” within the national airspace system.
Other FAA safety-critical functions that will continue include hazardous materials inspections, accident investigations, and commercial space launch oversight. However, aviation rulemaking, random drug testing of non-safety staff, and development of NextGen technologies would cease until funding is restored. The agency said most non-excepted activities could be shut down within four hours if a deal is not reached, with furloughed employees recalled once appropriations are reinstated.
The U.S. Travel Association estimates the U.S. economy will lose $1 billion per week in tourism and travel revenue caused by anticipated delays as more federal workers are likely to callout, along with cancelations of travel plans due to closures of destinations like national parks and museums.
Congressmen Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) and Andre Carson (D-IN-7) introduced a bill Sept. 18 that would provide funds for FAA activities in the event of a shutdown, although the bill has yet to proceed.
In other words- NO IMPACT AT ALL TO TAXPAYERS.
Wouldn’t the people working be tax payers? Seems like working for no pay would be a pretty big impact to me.
I believe there is a term for working without pay but I can’t quite remember what it is. Oh well, I’m sure it’s not important and I’m sure nothing big like a civil war happened over the right to force people to work without pay.
Bottomline - Everyone knows that if the gov’t shut-down occurs, all will be paid retroactively once the issue is resolved. My neighbor is a gov’t employee and he states the majority of his co-workers are aware of the shutdown issues from years past and save accordingly.
Is the Gov’t shut down today? I didn’t notice…