On Friday, thousands of travelers were greeted by flight cancellations at 40 airports across the country as airlines struggled to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to limit service due to the federal shutdown. Charlotte Douglas International Airport was among those selected for the slowdown.
Jim Shaw ACE Academy Executive Director, Alexandria Shaw, calls this move unprecedented. She spoke with WFDD’s David Ford about the many ripple effects throughout the aviation industry, including to passengers, cargo, employees and more.
Interview Highlights
On the slowdown:
"Several airports across the region have basically temporarily reduced their workforce so that they can be safe. I mean, that's literally the goal of the FAA, and they're doing this right now at no pay. So, you know, there's a lot of layers to what's going on right now ... even prior to the shutdown, you know, air traffic controllers and even pilots, there was a bit of a shortage here. That's why it's important to usher in the new generation. But a lot of people, because they haven't been paid for over a month now, the bills don't stop, unfortunately. People have to keep that roof over their head and keep their families fed. So people are calling out to take side gigs, you know, Ubering and doing Lyft, and just using their skills and knowledge to be able to, again, provide for their family. So people are calling out, which is making the people who are not calling out have to work a little bit harder. And again, safety is just at the forefront of everything right now."
On the TSA workers and other federal employees affected:
"You know they're federal operations, so they're also not getting paid. So some people think that just a pilot and a co-Captain are flying the plane, but there's air traffic control, there's the marshals, there's a lot of ground operations that are keeping us safe, and that being also the people that are getting you to that plane, which is the TSA agents. They are also severely overworked and grossly underpaid when their paychecks are saying zero right now. So we have to think of all of the operations and implications of this reduction."
On who feels the shutdown:
"It's a big deal because we even have natural disasters going on. You know, I was watching the news last night, and there was a young lady who was trying to make it to Jamaica who obviously just went through a travesty. So you have to think I'm trying to get to my family, make sure they're okay, but I don't even know if I can be able to get on the plane to do that. So the domino effect of this, like I said, is very serious, very real. Hopefully, you know, it makes both parties come together at the end of the day. Elected officials work for the people, you know, for the families trying to get to work, the students pursuing their dreams, and professionals keeping our skies safe. So when a shutdown happens, it's not just politics; it's the people who feel it the most."
EDITOR'S NOTE: This interview was lightly edited for clarity.