Travelers planning to depart from San Diego International Airport (SAN) this Sunday are facing significant uncertainty and are strongly urged to verify their flight statuses and adjust their arrival times accordingly.
Critical federal agencies responsible for aviation, such as the TSA and FAA, operate with a mix of essential personnel who are required to work without pay, and non-essential staff who are furloughed.
Specifically, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), responsible for passenger screening, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which manages air traffic control, are agencies whose "operations are, at times, affected by the federal government shutdown," Hall stated.
For instance, air traffic controllers, often deemed essential personnel, typically continue to work without pay during a shutdown.
However, planning can only mitigate, not eliminate, the impacts.
Travelers departing from San Diego International Airport are advised to check flight statuses and arrive early due to potential impacts from an ongoing partial federal government shutdown affecting TSA and FAA operations.