Travelling during the government shutdown? Patience will be key for flyers dealing with TSA and FAA staffing shortages
The government shutdown has caused lots of problems for flyers. Here’s how to have a safe journey.
Donald Trump’s government shutdown has caused chaos across the country, with a large number of public services being halted in their tracks.
Rather than listen to me bang on about Trump’s insanity, take the word of Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, who warned that “the longer a shutdown drags on, the more likely we are to see longer TSA lines, flight delays and cancellations, national parks in disrepair and unnecessary delays in modernising travel infrastructure."
It seems that Trump’s federal funding freeze is loudly crash-banging its way into the travel sector, with glaring disruptions sending the infrastructure into panic mode. While flights are still operating for the time being, cracks in the system are beginning to open.
The government shutdown, explained. pic.twitter.com/F4UTHgqcR2
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) October 3, 2025
“This is definitely going to bring up safety and security issues”
Air traffic controllers and TSA agents are essential workers, meaning they must continue to work despite the lapse in pay. Delays at security checkpoints are mounting, and airlines are warning that cancellations could surge if the shutdown continues.
Inside the control towers, safety concerns have resurfaced. Controllers say they’re under increasing fatigue with shrinking support crews. Nick Daniels, president of the union that represents air traffic controllers, said (via PBS): “They’re out there working right now with critical staffing — the lowest staffing we’ve had in decades of only 10,800, where there should be 14,633. And on top of that, they’re working with unreliable equipment."
“This is more than just an inconvenience to the traveler,” Jeffrey Price, professor of aviation at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, said of the shutdown. “This is definitely going to bring up safety and security issues, if it really starts to go into the long term.”
Meanwhile, America’s parks and museums hang in a fragile balance. For now, roads, trails and open-air sites remain accessible, yet many indoor facilities are likely to shut if funding dries up.
In past shutdowns, parks suffered from vandalism, overflowing trash, and damage due to neglect. Welcome to 2025 in Donald Trump’s America.
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