The United States Congress just slapped a big Band-Aid on what is still a problem. There will be no government shutdown right now, which is good news for the travel industry, but like many, they are not out of the woods yet.
Congress voted positively on Saturday night in what was literally an 11th-hour decision that keeps the U.S. government funded and going, through November 17.
That’s good news for most Americans and travel, of course, but now the industry is bracing and wondering if it will have to go through the same worrisome burden in 6 weeks. Here’s what averting a shutdown means for travel right now:
Flights and cruises: Airplane flight and cruise ship itineraries were going to continue, even in a shutdown. Virtually all airlines and cruise lines are privately owned and publicly traded, so the government could not just shut them down. The peripheral aspects, however, could have been a problem and still might be a problem if the government doesn’t pass a full spending bill by November 17.
TSA Agents: Some workers will avoid being laid off or furloughed. A shutdown would have impacted the already overtaxed workers for the Transportation Security Administration. Fewer workers would have made already long lines even more of a problem. In fact, many industry observers hearken back to 2019 when TSA workers who were impacted by a government shutdown simply left their jobs or called in sick. That’s because some were working without a paycheck and would have had to do so again.
Passports: Although airlines and cruise lines would have still kept running, you can’t travel without a passport. And no shutdown means the passport office in the United States avoids a situation where it would have been even more overwhelmed with people trying to renew their passport. In fact, renewing a passport would have come to a close under a shutdown.
National Parks: All of America’s 400-plus national parks can remain open. They would have closed under a shutdown because they are federally funded. But Yellowstone National Park said last week it could have remained open two weeks beyond a shutdown because of contingency funds. And Utah said it has enough in funding to keep its major five parks open through a shutdown.
FAA: Here's another place where the airlines could have been impacted by a shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization would not have taken place without members of Congress in place. President Joe Biden’s new choice as FAA administrator would not have been voted upon, either. The reauthorization is scheduled for this week. The vote not to shut down gives a temporary reprieve to overworked air traffic controllers, many of whom are already working six days a week. Or 10-hour shifts. Or both.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
