Turbulence ahead? Expect travel delays amid U.S. government shutdown
Turbulence ahead? Expect travel delays amid U.S. government shutdown
Canadians travelling during the Thanksgiving long weekend may encounter delays and flight cancellations as a direct or indirect result of the government shutdown in the United States.
This comes after aircraft flying into and out of an airport in Burbank, Calif., were left without an air traffic controller for several hours on Monday, which meant pilots in the immediate vicinity had to co-ordinate among themselves, and as experts warn of spillover delays.
Aviation and airline industry experts believe the longer the government shutdown goes on, the worse the situation could get for Canadian travellers — and not just for those with U.S. destinations.
“Canadians flying to and from the U.S. over the next three or four days will experience the impact of this air traffic control issue. They’ll be delayed just like the American carriers are,” says John Gradek, faculty lecturer in supply networks and aviation at McGill School of English Studies.
“So if Air Canada has got 10 flights a day going into Newark or five flights a day going to Chicago, those flights will be delayed as well — there’s no preference given to keeping Canadian flights on time.”
An ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers has already been straining the aviation sector thin.
The union representing U.S. air traffic controllers warned the government shutdown could mean added stress to controllers that already have a difficult job, and during past shutdowns, some took on side jobs to pay the bills.
“Flights are going to be delayed. Burbank was the initial one. As of (Tuesday), it kind of snowballed, and it really affected a greater number of airports, including both on the East Coast and the West Coast of the U.S.,” Gradek says.
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