With Thanksgiving break approaching, the airport is urging travelers to check their flight status and “pack their patience” in the fallout of the 42-day government shutdown.
The Senate voted to approve an end to the federal shutdown in a 60-40 vote on Nov. 11, but the House must also pass the legislation for the government to effectively reopen. The House will vote on the matter today. For now, flights in and out of San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) remain unaffected.
“Currently, flights in and out of the SLO County Airport have not been impacted,” said Courtney Pene, deputy director of external affairs and administration for SBP. However, airports across the country are seeing flight reductions since Nov. 7. “We are anticipating a ripple effect to be experienced throughout the entire airport system nationwide.”
SBP operates a relatively small, but consistent schedule of commercial flights, which means even minor national slowdowns could create noticeable delays for local travelers.
The shutdown has increased financial stress on air traffic controllers. According to a New York Times report, air traffic controllers have missed their full paychecks since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. Unlike many other airports, SBP’s air traffic controllers are contract employees, which means they are still being paid.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, in a New York Times article, that “almost every controller can’t make it two paychecks.” He said that even though flying is still safe, increased fatigue from longer shifts and financial strain could soon lead to delays and less safe conditions across the industry.
“The air traffic control tower at SBP is a contract tower,” Pene said. “Therefore, the air traffic controllers are continuing to receive pay, unlike the TSA agents who receive direct payment from the federal government and have not received a paycheck in a few weeks.”
Pene said SBP is supporting unpaid TSA staff, sharing local assistance resources and collaborating with nearby businesses to provide food support.
The airport has also encouraged travelers to show patience and kindness toward staff, noting that many employees are working hard through the increasing financial and emotional stress.
“SBP appreciates the ongoing commitment from TSA, the air traffic control tower, and our partner airlines to maintain safety and reliability of the national transportation system during this challenging time,” Pene said.
“Our focus remains ensuring a safe and efficient airport,” Pene said. “SBP remains open and ready to serve all travelers.”
Across the country, morale among controllers continues to dip amid a severe staffing shortage. The New York Times reports that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is short about 3,000 controllers, forcing many to work overtime and some to take second jobs to make ends meet.
If ripple effects reach the Central Coast, passengers could feel the impact indirectly, travel industry analysts say, since many local flights depend on aircraft rotations and staffing connections at larger hub airports.For now, SLO passengers can expect flights to continue as scheduled and SBP will share updates as they become available through their Facebook or Instagram.
