Bay Area airports run smoothly during government shutdown — so far

As the partial federal leadership shutdown dragged on Tuesday the spending impasse was starting to affect air advance in California and around the country The Hollywood Burbank Airport in Southern California was out of arrangement 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 stated Tuesday as more air traffic controllers than usual called out sick Bay Area airports haven t yet seen essential 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 probable 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 ruling body shutdown adds stress on air traffic controllers Executive shutdown threatens food aid effort relied on by millions of families The federal regime 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 explained Gilbert Galam secretary of American Federation of Regime Employees Local The union represents about Transportation Defense Administration officers in Northern California including at the Oakland airport and San Jose Mineta International Airport Galam explained Tuesday that up to officers had called out at the Oakland airport Normally about a dozen officers do so on a given day he revealed Like air traffic controllers TSA officers are required to assessment to work during the shutdown and continue screening travelers and their luggage It has been getting pretty dire Galam stated The shortage puts more pressure on agents who do show up he reported 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 commented I ll turn into a death spiral of those calling off he mentioned Bay Area News Group inquired the airport s personnel if staffing issues posed any safety risks We are not aware of any operational issues at OAK relating to TSA staffing noted Oakland airport spokesperson Kaley Skantz All prevention procedures and standards for the flying citizens are being maintained San Jose Mineta International Airport has not seen distinctive 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 Shield The company did not respond to an inquiry Doug Yakel a spokesperson for the airport declared Tuesday that he hadn t heard any such reports about issues with screening staff there Problems with air movement 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 establishment 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 strength care more affordable for millions Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are furloughed nationally while air voyage 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 at present 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 movement could be politically radioactive In during the majority of latest 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 published and threw a wrench in flight schedules