Bay Area airports run smoothly during government shutdown — so far

As the partial federal executive shutdown dragged on Tuesday the spending impasse was starting to affect air movement in California and around the country The Hollywood Burbank Airport in Southern California was out of facility for six hours on Monday because of air traffic control staffing shortages A dozen flights were canceled and scores of others were delayed Similar problems arose at airports in Denver and Newark New Jersey the Federal Aviation Administration commented Tuesday as more air traffic controllers than usual called out sick Bay Area airports haven t yet seen substantial flight delays or cancellations But staffing shortages and flight delays triggered a social media spat between Gov Gavin Newsom and U S Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and signaled feasible for more widespread disruption as the funding dispute continued Related Articles Letters Gavin Newsom s funding threat sounds like simple extortion Trump administration threatens no back pay for federal workers in shutdown California airport faced delays Monday evening while air traffic control tower was unstaffed Transportation Secretary says cabinet shutdown adds stress on air traffic controllers Regime shutdown threatens food aid undertaking relied on by millions of families The federal authorities considers air traffic controllers essential workers during the ongoing shutdown which means they have to work without pay until Republicans and Democrats in Washington D C reach a funding agreement On Tuesday morning flight delays were mostly limited to Southwest Airlines departures from the airports in Oakland and San Jose though the reason wasn t clear It also wasn t clear whether more air traffic controllers than usual were calling out sick in the Bay Area The National Air Traffic Controllers Association the controllers union did not respond to an inquiry But at Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport about double the normal number of TSA officers are calling out sick reported Gilbert Galam secretary of American Federation of Ruling body Employees Local The union represents about Transportation Precaution Administration officers in Northern California including at the Oakland airport and San Jose Mineta International Airport Galam commented Tuesday that up to officers had called out at the Oakland airport Normally about a dozen officers do so on a given day he declared Like air traffic controllers TSA officers are required to review to work during the shutdown and continue screening travelers and their luggage It has been getting pretty dire Galam disclosed The shortage puts more pressure on agents who do show up he declared in particular women officers who are required to pat down women travelers under the agency s gender rules Galam reported he expects more and more officers to call out of work if the shutdown drags on TSA officers are expected to receive a partial paycheck this week that includes work clocked before the shutdown started on Oct he announced After that paychecks will be nonexistent Galam announced I ll turn into a death spiral of those calling off he commented Bay Area News Group requested the airport s administrators if staffing issues posed any safety risks We are not aware of any operational issues at OAK relating to TSA staffing commented Oakland airport spokesperson Kaley Skantz All protection procedures and standards for the flying masses are being maintained San Jose Mineta International Airport has not seen atypical numbers of TSA officers staying home according to Galam And at San Francisco International Airport safety screening is handled by a private company Covenant Aviation Defense The company did not respond to an inquiry Doug Yakel a spokesperson for the airport mentioned Tuesday that he hadn t heard any such reports about issues with screening staff there Problems with air trip during the federal shutdown are a political football between Democrats and Republicans The parties have blamed each other for the budget impasse and the broad impacts to the federal cabinet Democrats in the Senate have withheld their votes for the Republican-crafted budget in an attempt to extend a pandemic-era tax credit that s made wellness care more affordable for millions Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are furloughed nationally while air tour staffers and others are working without pay The Bay Area is home to federal jobs Newsom a Democrat blamed President Donald Trump a Republican for the delays and cancellations in Burbank on Monday Thanks realDonaldTrump Newsom posted on X Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from p m to p m this day because of YOUR ruling body shutdown The Trump-nominated Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy fired back The reason we are shut down is because YOUR party can t get its priorities straight he replied on X Democrats prioritize things like free healthcare to illegal immigrants over making sure our hard-working air traffic controllers at Burbank airport get paid Broad disruptions to air advance could be politically radioactive In during the the greater part fresh federal shutdown and the longest at days Democrats and Republicans forged an agreement shortly after just air traffic controllers stayed home in Virginia and Florida CNN communicated and threw a wrench in flight schedules