A U.S. government shutdown could cost the travel industry $1 billion per week, disrupt holiday travel, and lead to longer airport wait times, warns the U.S. Travel Association.
A partial government shutdown could cost the U.S. travel industry $1 billion per week and lead to widespread disruptions for travelers, a trade group representing airlines, hotels and other travel companies said on Friday.
"A prolonged government shutdown threatens holiday travel disruptions that Americans won’t tolerate," said U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman. On Thursday, the head of the Transportation Security Administration warned an extended partial U.S. government shutdown could lead to longer wait times at airports.
TSA expects to screen a record 40 million passengers over the holidays after setting records over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Fitch Ratings said on Friday that a shutdown "could also cause non-material operational disruptions at airports with non-essential FAA and TSA worker furloughed."
TSA, which handles airport security screening, said about 59,000 of its 62,000 employees are considered essential and would continue working without pay in the event of a shutdown that would begin on Saturday unless the government reaches a funding deal.
Air traffic controllers and TSA officers are among the government workers who would be required to keep working but would not be paid.
"It’s hard to see how anyone in Congress wins if they force TSA workers, air traffic controllers, and other essential employees to work without pay during one of the busiest travel periods of the year," said Freeman of the travel association whose members include United Airlines, Marriott, American Airlines and Hertz
The group said a survey found 60% of Americans would consider altering their travel plans if a government shutdown occurs, with many choosing to cancel or avoid flights altogether.
Without a deal, the Federal Aviation Administration estimated it would have to furlough more than 17,000 employees and halt training of air traffic controllers.
In 2019, during a 35-day shutdown, the number of absences by controllers and TSA officers rose as workers missed paychecks, extending checkpoint wait times at some airports. The FAA was forced to slow air traffic in New York, putting pressure on lawmakers to finally end the standoff.
U.S. airstrikes in Yemen have intensified under the Trump administration, with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz claiming that American forces have eliminated key Houthi leadership, including their top missile commander.
Soldiers from the Philippine Army and the U.S. Army began three weeks of joint military drills on Monday, focused on territorial defense and large-scale force deployments, the Philippine Army announced.
Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR), stated that China and the United States should cooperate in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid duplicating efforts.
The Trump administration is expected to exclude sector-specific tariffs from its planned reciprocal levies, which are set to be imposed on April 2, according to reports by Bloomberg News and the Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous officials.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump held a brief call on Sunday to discuss progress on a new economic deal between the two countries, the prime minister's spokesperson said.
Bank of America (BofA) said the recent volatility in Turkish markets has so far had only a limited inflationary impact, stressing that Türkiye’s economic management remains in control.
A severe cyberattack disabled Ukraine’s online railway ticketing system on Monday, causing extensive queues and disruptions, with Kyiv officials attributing the incident to a possible Russian attempt to destabilise the nation.
Tuberculosis (TB) cases among children in Europe's WHO region increased by 10% in 2023, marking a troubling rise that underscores ongoing disease transmission, according to a World Health Organization report released on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on Monday his proposal for the United States to annex Greenland, sparking strong criticism from Greenlandic and Danish officials over a planned visit by a high-level U.S. delegation later this week.
In a groundbreaking study published in Cell on January 18, Chinese researchers have unveiled a novel cancer treatment that ingeniously disguises tumors as pig tissue, triggering the body’s immune system to mount a hyperacute rejection response against the cancer cells.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Thursday that purchasing U.S. weapons does not pose a security risk for his country, but emphasized the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on American defense systems. His comments come amid growing discussions within Europe.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, the Kremlin said following a lengthy phone discussion between the leaders.
Mexican forces have dismantled a massive meth lab in Zacatecas, dealing a blow to a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
Greenland has recorded a significant surge in the number of tourists visiting the country after latest data showed a 14% increase in the number of passengers on international flights arriving in the country alongside a rise in hotel bookings.
An Air India flight from Mumbai to New York returned to Mumbai following a bomb threat on Monday morning.
Berlin’s airport has cancelled all flights for Monday in anticipation of a labour union strike, which is expected to affect over half a million travellers and disrupt thousands of flights at 11 airports across Germany.
China’s winter tourism continues to grow rapidly, with Heilongjiang leading the way by welcoming over 130 million visitors this season.
Airport workers' strikes in Greece and Germany on February 27 and February 28 push airlines to cancel and modify thousands of flights. Türkiye’s flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, has announced that some flights to be cancelled due to massive strikes.
Bank of America (BofA) said the recent volatility in Turkish markets has so far had only a limited inflationary impact, stressing that Türkiye’s economic management remains in control.
A severe cyberattack disabled Ukraine’s online railway ticketing system on Monday, causing extensive queues and disruptions, with Kyiv officials attributing the incident to a possible Russian attempt to destabilise the nation.
Tuberculosis (TB) cases among children in Europe's WHO region increased by 10% in 2023, marking a troubling rise that underscores ongoing disease transmission, according to a World Health Organization report released on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on Monday his proposal for the United States to annex Greenland, sparking strong criticism from Greenlandic and Danish officials over a planned visit by a high-level U.S. delegation later this week.
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