Seasoned travelers brace for more potential impacts as U.S. government shutdown continues
Posted Jan 21, 2019 7:13 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The partial shutdown of the U.S. government is already creating headaches for travellers as more and more airport screeners aren’t showing up for work.
Tens of thousands of federal transportation workers have reportedly been working without a paycheck since the shutdown began, and many have since been calling in sick as a form of protest.
There have been marginal increases in wait times at airports across the U.S., and even at Canadian airports for travellers heading south of the border. However, for the most part, people say they are managing by planning ahead.
“Going through customs is always a tie-up, so allow lots of time,” one traveller bound for the U.S. at Vancouver International advised.
Another said she checked ahead of time, and planned to be at YVR “extra, extra, extra early.”
Carolina, who’s from New York, travelled to Vancouver over Martin Luther King Jr. day weekend. She recalled a long line on Friday as she left the U.S.
“There was a long line wrapping around, but everyone else had been there for a bit,” Carolina says. “Get there early, you don’t want to miss your flight just because Trump’s, you know, Trump.”
Some aviation experts have said the situation could worsen if the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history continues.
Just this weekend, a United Airlines flight was redirected to Goose Bay airport in Labrador, after a medical emergency and mechanical situation.
United said the flight was unable to return to New Jersey, in part, because there were not enough customs officers to process the passengers.
As the shutdown hits 31 days, airlines are now predicting major revenue losses as fewer government workers travel.
Delta Airlines is predicting it will be out $25 million in January.
