The US government shutdown has had a big effect on operations, and now air travelers are feeling it too. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a “ground stop” advisory for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. The disruption happens on the thirteenth day of the government funding lapse, which shows how bad the situation is getting in important public services.
Media says that the busy Texas airport’s air traffic advisory is a direct result of staffing problems at the FAA, which is working with less key staff during the shutdown.
A ground stop is a required air traffic control technique that keeps certain planes on the ground at their departure points. This method is usually employed to deal with bad weather, broken equipment, or, as in this case, a serious system capacity problem caused by a lack of staff.
The grounding at a major US airport shows how the political gridlock in Washington is having real-world effects that are getting worse. The lack of a government budget is now directly affecting the operation of the country’s air transport infrastructure.