AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s been more than a month since the government shutdown caused mass delays at airports, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it could get much worse if it continues.
During a press conference with the SEPTA rail system, Duffy said that if the shutdown continues into next week, it could cause “total chaos.”
“You’ll see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us closing certain parts of the airspace because we can’t handle it,” Duffy said. “We don’t have air traffic controllers.”
“I think it’s clear that this is going to be very troubling and really unprecedented,” said Heather Irving, a luxury travel consultant at The New York Times. Hello Boutique Travel“.
Irving said the closure has affected the extent to which people are booking trips.
“People book at least 6 to 12 months in advance,” Irving said. “Now people are booking a month or two in advance.
Megan Stokes, A Travel advisor for FORAsaid it is important to plan ahead to avoid running into any problems.
“There may be fewer flight options. There may be some rerouting. This will keep travelers on their toes,” Stokes said. “[Try] Book a refundable flight or refundable hotel. Make sure their schedules are flexible, such as traveling mid-week.”
KXAN reached out to several Texas politicians about their thoughts on the closure as it relates to its impact on airports. The backlash extends across the aisle as to who is to blame.
“For five weeks, we have been asking Republicans to stop the shutdown and sit down to solve the health care crisis they created,” said US Congressman Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin. “If Trump still knows the art of the deal, now would be a good time to negotiate before we have an air travel crisis.”
On the US Senate floor last week, Senator John Currin said: “Democrats have told the press that they will not back down on their lockdown unless planes fall from the sky, and they should be ashamed that they are putting Americans in harm’s way for the sake of politics.”
KXAN has reached out to the FAA and Austin-Bergstrom Airport about the potential airspace closure. We will update this story if a response is received.
KXAN has also reached out to the Texas Military Department (TMD). TMD said it has not received a request for support related to federal airspace operations at this time.