What to know about traveling during the government shutdown
Source
American Shipper
Post Date
10/17/2025
?The government shutdown led to staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities, delaying flights. ?Travelers may experience longer security lines at airports as some TSA officers do not report to work. ?Controllers and TSA officers are required to work but are not being paid during the shutdown. As the government shutdown enters its second week, travelers who plan to fly may start to notice its effects. Nationwide and at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, air travel saw evening delays on Monday, Oct. 7, because of staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities, according to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory. Flight tracking website FlightAware showed 6,147 delayed and 84 canceled flights in the U.S. on Monday, including 255 delays and three cancellations at Sky Harbor. These figures marked an increase from Saturday and Sunday. The worker shortages may also include fewer security officers with the Transportation Security Administration, leading to longer lines. Some security checkpoints at Sky Harbor reported waits of 21 to 25 minutes during busy periods since Oct. 1, according to skyharbor.com. Do air traffic controllers work during a government shutdown? Air traffic control is overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration, and controllers are continuing to work through the shutdown. But a few air traffic control facilities experienced staffing issues as some controllers dont report to work. This happened during previous government shutdowns as well, disrupting flights nationwide. Hollywood Burbank Airport, for example, had no air traffic controllers on duty on Monday evening. Shutdowns can affect air traffic control in the moment through shortages that lead to delayed and canceled flights. But they can also have long-term impacts on controller staffing, said Tim Kiefer, assistant professor of air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universitys Prescott campus. Even the threat of a shutdown disrupts efforts to improve air traffic control, from controller hiring processes and the FAA Academy facility in Oklahoma City where controllers are trained, he said. Such disruptions also affect the FAAs work to upgrade technologies that controllers use to manage air traffic. Does a government shutdown affect TSA? Transportation Security Administration officers, who are responsible for airport security in airports nationwide, including Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, are considered essential and continue to work during a shutdown. Workers who give flight clearance and verify at border control are also deemed essential. A TSA spokesperson told The Arizona Republic that TSA was prepared to continue screening about 2.5 million passengers daily but added that an exted shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports. "We kindly ask for our passengers?patience during this time," the statement read. "Despite this challenge, we will remain vigilant and focused on performing our vital security mission on behalf of the American people." About 61,000 of TSAs 64,000 employees were considered essential and will continue working during the shutdown, TSA said in a statement. Are TSA workers paid during shutdown? Airport security officers are working without pay during the shutdown, but people who worked through the shutdown received back pay for the time they worked after previous shutdowns. Travelers should prepare for longer than usual wait times in security as some officers dont report to work through the shutdown, said Caleb Harmon-Marshall, an aviation expert and former TSA officer who writes the travel newsletter Gate Access. Security officers may also be unfrily, "as these workers may not be pleased to be in the midst of a shutdown," he said. Phoenix airport security wait times On most days, average security wait times at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport are less than 20 minutes. Some checkpoints had waits between 21 and 25 minutes during the busiest periods since Oct. 1. Air travelers should stay informed on any s from their airport and airline as they go about their travels, said Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations at the U.S. Travel Association. Travelers can obtain live s on the airports security wait times at skyharbor.com.
