Most of us saw the headlines – many flights being cancelled or delayed, horrendous lines to get through security or immigration, airports in total chaos, etc. But what was the reality from those of us working – and traveling – within the US during that period?
Which airport staff were impacted?
Mainly Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Air Traffic Control (ATC). Despite not being paid, all of these employees were deemed “essential” and expected to report for work.
How did the airports react?
As far as most airports are concerned, the agents are members of their community, essential to providing a service for passengers and when members of the community face hardship, the rest of us should rally round to help them.
As they had in the past, many airports organized ‘food banks’ to ensure the agents had access to essentials. One lesson learned from previous shutdowns is that diapers (disposable nappies) can be in high demand!
The new lesson learned (for next time) is that, as the shutdown continued, some agents couldn’t afford to refuel the vehicle they needed to get to work – already the airports are thinking of ways to resolve this one!
Other airports encouraged employees not to just thank the agents for coming into work but also chat with them briefly, if they weren’t busy, and show support.
From Josh Smith, our SLC Site Manager: “The feedback I received from each TSA employee was that things were going well and they were all in good spirits. Our airport had a very decent sized food donation setup for these individuals. Every day I saw handfuls of agents dipping into the donations. This act of kindness really made everyone at the airport feel like a family.”
From Joseph Cacek, our MSP Service Delivery Manager: “It was amazing to see our airport community come together to support our TSA and ATC partners, from regular staff meals arranged by the airlines, to the food bank that was setup and stocked by MSP MAC employees and other members of the MSP family. We heard about regular donations of diapers, baby formula, gas cards and more to help weather the shutdown. It feels good to know we look out for each other, and that “Minnesota Nice” isn’t just a friendly attitude but a call to action to support those in need.”
What about those of us traveling?
Pietro had one flight cancelled. Otherwise, if anything, our travels ran more smoothly than usual!
In reality, the lines for security were shorter – probably because the headlines had put people off traveling. Most flights were full – most likely because the airlines were rescheduling passengers booked on less popular flights – but, as a business traveler, you tend to travel at peak times anyway.
There were some cancellations shown on the FIDS – mainly to smaller destinations or, at larger airports, by non-hub carriers.
Says Lynne: “The only really weird thing I saw was this, at DTW, but I couldn’t figure out which video they were referring to!
(Subsequently, I have learned that many airports simply refused to play what was, effectively, a political rant by the US Secretary of Homeland Security).
Sadly, I didn’t hear many passengers thanking the agents for being there and, although some of them seemed a bit embarrassed at being thanked, I like to think they appreciated it from those of us who made the effort.”
From Pietro Como, our Vice President of U.S. Operations: “During the week of November 10th, I participated in three Annual Site Events in Detroit (DTW), Las Vegas (LAS), and Denver (DEN). This required taking six different flights and visiting five distinct airports. My initial scheduled flight on November 11th was cancelled due to the Government Shutdown; however, United Airlines successfully rescheduled my departure four days in advance. My experience at Newark (EWR), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Detroit (DTW), Las Vegas (LAS), and Denver (DEN) was consistent with previous travels, characterized by the typical smooth TSA and Airline-Airport operations, which did not reflect the tone of media broadcasts.”
From Michael Goodhue, our Eastern Region Operations Support Manager: “Despite all the alarming news coverage about horrendous lines and major disruptions at MCO, my own travel experience couldn’t have been more different. I made three separate trips during that period, and each one was effortless from start to finish. No long lines, no cancellations, no last-minute changes — everything ran smoothly, almost surprisingly so. For me, it felt like business as usual, even while the headlines suggested chaos.”
Perhaps the only “casualty” we really had from the shutdown was our exhibition booth, which took a full two weeks to travel the 500 miles back to Herndon from Toronto – twice as long as it took to get there in the first place – we suspect the delay was caused by clearing customs back into the US.
