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“Stress in the Skies: A Government Shutdown and Its Effects on Air Travel

Recently, the US government has been forced to enter into a temporary shutdown. As the shutdown persists, air travel in the US has begun to take a hit. With many federal employees either not being able to work or being furloughed, the safety and security conditions of air travel hold the potential to be negatively impacted. The US has a long-held reputation for one of the safest and most reliable air transportation systems. This is due in no small part to the numerous safety regulations that are enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With so many FAA employees either not working or being furloughed, these safety regulations are struggling to be properly maintained. On top of that, the shutdown has caused the TSA to become understaffed. With fewer TSA agents to pick up the slack, more long lines may be seen at airports, leading to greater delays for travelers. To address this situation, TSA has attempted to contain the issue by having certain agents work mandatory overtime. However, due to the uncertainty of when the shutdown will end, many agents have started to look elsewhere for jobs, further exacerbating the problem. Aside from that, the shutdown has also caused numerous flights and airports to be cancelled or delayed throughout the US. This has the potential to cause a chain reaction, as delayed flights at other airports could mean further delays for other airlines or passengers. All in all, the government shutdown has created a lot of stress in the air travel system. With fewer safety regulations and an overloaded TSA, US air travel is more prone to disruption. This could mean longer waiting times, canceled flights, and other unexpected issues for travelers. Therefore, it is important that the government ends the shutdown as soon as possible to prevent further issues.