Government Shutdown Causing Flights to Be Delayed, Cancelled

If you thought Air Travel was stressful originally, well, now it is even worse. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages have affected multiple businesses and professions worldwide. Now, it is even worse. Due to the government shutdown, staff ranging from Air Traffic Control to TSA are experiencing job terminations, and with that, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is cutting flights. I decided to check out the departures list at Newark Airport for United Airlines, and it is disturbing. Newark has a reputation for high amounts of delays and cancellations. They are one of the most short-staffed when it comes to Air Traffic Control, and are top ten in the country in delays. In May, there were hundreds of flights cut due to the construction of a runway. However, this isn’t just happening in Newark. Airports such as Orlando, Washington, DC, and Houston are experiencing similar delays. For example, Orlando had flights ranging from three hours to eleven hours in delays, some lasting overnight. In conclusion, I would not recommend traveling by plane right now, because chances are, your flight will be delayed and even cancelled.