U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday warned that a prolonged government shutdown could cause severe disruptions to air travel during the busy Thanksgiving holiday period, urging Democrats to help pass legislation to reopen the government.

Speaking after a meeting at the White House with executives from American Airlines, United Airlines, industry unions, and aviation officials, Vance said a shutdown lasting into late November could trigger widespread employee absences, long security queues, and flight delays.

“It could be a disaster,” Vance said. “At that point, you’re talking about people who have missed three paychecks. How many of them are not going to show up for work?”

Major airlines, including Delta and United, called on Congress to approve a short-term funding bill to end the stalemate and allow negotiations on broader policy issues to continue. Sources told Reuters that the 30-day shutdown has already led to a sharp rise in flight delays due to staff shortages among air traffic controllers.

The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work without pay, worsening an already critical staffing shortfall. Many have taken second jobs to make ends meet after missing their first full paycheck this week.

Industry officials say the situation is rapidly deteriorating. According to union representative Duffy, 44% of flight delays on Sunday and 24% on Monday were caused by air traffic controller absences — compared with an average of just 5% before the shutdown.

Airlines and airport workers have begun donating food and supplies to unpaid TSA and FAA staff, echoing scenes from the 2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days and ended after widespread staff shortages disrupted travel nationwide.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) remains about 3,500 controllers short of its staffing target, with many employees already working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks before the shutdown began — raising fears of a full-blown travel crisis if the impasse continues into the holiday season.

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