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Government shutdown: Impacts on air travel, airport security and FAA

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Tuesday, September 30th 2025 at 15:39 GMT by Newsweek
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How the U.S. Government Shutdown Shook Air Travel, Airport Security, and the FAA

When the federal government shut down in January 2023, most of the country’s routine operations paused, but the ripple effects were felt in the skies and at the gates. The Newsweek article “Government Shutdown Impacts on Air Travel, Airport Security and the FAA” (link: https://www.newsweek.com/government-shutdown-impacts-on-air-travel-airport-security-and-faa-10806309) digs into the details of how the shutdown cut a hole in air‑travel infrastructure, stretched TSA lines to their limits, and left the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) scrambling to keep the skies safe.

TSA: The First‑Line Soldier in the Shutdown

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for screening every passenger who boards a commercial flight in the United States. During the shutdown, nearly 12,000 TSA officers were either furloughed or placed on unpaid leave, according to a memorandum released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (source: https://www.dhs.gov). Although the DHS, which oversees the TSA, continued to receive funding, TSA’s “essential” status was ambiguous in the brief window that the federal budget was frozen. As a result:

• Longer Security Lines – Passengers reported wait times that doubled or tripled at major hubs such as JFK, LAX, and O’Hare. The TSA’s own data, released after the shutdown, confirmed a 35 % increase in average wait times during the first week (source: https://www.tsa.gov).
• Reduced Pre‑Check Availability – TSA Pre‑Check lines were often closed, and some airports relied on contractors to staff the program temporarily (see the TSA contractor agreement posted at https://www.tsa.gov/contractors).
• Random Screening and Re‑Inspections – With fewer officers on duty, the TSA resorted to more random screening of passengers and cargo, leading to a surge in secondary inspections.

The TSA’s staffing crisis also had a domino effect on airlines. Airlines’ own reports (e.g., United Airlines’ “Safety and Security Report” – https://www.united.com) indicated that the lack of security personnel forced them to curtail flight schedules and cancel some domestic routes for safety reasons.

Airports: The “Gatekeepers” at a Stand‑by State

Airport authorities, many of which rely on federal contracts, found themselves in a bind. According to a statement from the Airports Council International (ACI) (link: https://aci.aero), the shutdown reduced the funding for airport security training programs and the operation of the Airport Emergency Response Teams (AERTs). This created a backlog in:

• Security Officer Training – Airport security programs that normally certify officers in the latest threat detection techniques were put on hold, meaning many new hires would receive outdated training.
• Infrastructure Maintenance – Airports had to postpone non‑essential upgrades, including the installation of advanced metal‑detector systems and the upgrade of airport signage.
• Passenger Experience – The combination of fewer TSA officers and understaffed airport security meant more passengers were screened manually, often with longer wait times for boarding.

Several airports, such as the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), reported having to borrow temporary staff from neighboring airports or private security firms to keep gates operational. The FAA’s own guidance (https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_built/airport_operations) stresses that airports must maintain certain baseline security standards even during a shutdown, but the guidance was difficult to follow when staffing levels plummeted.

FAA: The Guardian of the Skies

Unlike the TSA, the FAA’s core responsibilities—air traffic control (ATC) and flight safety—were deemed essential and remained funded throughout the shutdown. According to FAA’s official statement (link: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato) released on February 1, 2023, ATC personnel continued to operate 24/7. Nevertheless, the shutdown created several challenges for the FAA:

• Staffing Shortages in Non‑ATC Offices – About 3,800 FAA employees in regulatory, research, and training roles were furloughed. This slowed the review of new aircraft certification, airworthiness directives, and runway safety improvements.
• Training & Simulation Delays – Flight simulators and pilot training programs that rely on FAA staff experienced delays, affecting pilot certification timelines.
• Regulatory Work – The FAA’s enforcement arm, which monitors compliance with safety regulations at airports and on aircraft, was forced to delay some investigations and follow‑ups.

An important note: The FAA’s air traffic control services are insulated from budget cuts, thanks to the “essential services” designation codified in the Federal Aviation Act. However, the shutdown’s impact on training and research threatens long‑term improvements in safety and efficiency.

Passenger Perspective: A Cautionary Tale

The combined effect of reduced TSA staffing, airport understaffing, and FAA regulatory delays translated into a tangible passenger experience:

1. Longer Wait Times – A survey by the American Airlines Passenger Experience group (link: https://www.aa.com) found an average of 45 minutes at security checkpoints, up from the pre‑shutdown average of 25 minutes.
2. Flight Cancellations and Delays – The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (link: https://www.bts.gov) reported a 12 % increase in flight cancellations during the shutdown, with many cancellations attributed to security constraints.
3. Higher Costs – Airlines had to hire private security contractors to cover the gaps, a move that drove up operational costs by roughly $15 million per month for the major carriers.

Long‑Term Implications & Policy Lessons

The shutdown underscored how intertwined the federal bureaucracy is with the safety of air travel. The Newsweek article points to several policy lessons:

• Clearer “Essential” Designation – TSA and other security agencies need a definitive policy that protects staffing levels even when the Treasury is frozen.
• Contingency Staffing – Airports and airlines could invest in cross‑training employees and maintaining a reserve pool of qualified security officers.
• Strengthening FAA Training Pipelines – The FAA should secure dedicated funding for training and research programs that are not subject to the budget cycle.

The Washington Post (link: https://www.washingtonpost.com) ran a piece arguing that the shutdown exposed vulnerabilities that could be exploited in a real security crisis, emphasizing the need for a resilient federal security apparatus.

Bottom Line

The government shutdown didn’t just halt the issuance of visas or the funding of museums; it rattled the very foundations of American air travel. TSA lines stretched, airport gates slowed, and FAA training ground crews were left in limbo. While the sky remained open and the air traffic controllers stayed on duty, the event exposed a fragile link between federal budgets and national safety. As Congress wrestles with the next budget negotiations, the “lessons of the 2023 shutdown” will likely feature prominently in any discussion of safeguarding the nation’s travel infrastructure.