AUSTIN (KXAN) — While Rep. Lloyd Doggett said his top concern right now is the funding standoff between Democrats and Republicans, he also talked to KXAN Wednesday about the possible impacts of the federal government shutdown, specifically on Austin’s airport.
“I think that everyone going to the Austin airport over the next month will face challenges, particularly at times related to Formula 1,” Doggett said. Austin will also have significant air travel in and out of the airport for Austin City Limits Music Festival and University of Texas football games.
As Austin enters its busiest season for air travel, Doggett said issues with air traffic controller staffing at Austin’s airport could get worse.
“We now have only 27 of the 60 air traffic controllers that we are supposed to have, according to the Federal Aviation Administration,” Doggett said. “Those people are working six day a week, mandatory overtime, overworked, understaffed. And if they as essential workers — which they are — continue to serve without pay for an extended period of time, we only need a few of them to not come to work to create a real crisis.”
While control towers and airport security will still be staffed because those employees are considered essential, those employees do not get paid until after the shutdown is over.
According to The Associated Press, during the 2018 and 2019 federal government shutdown unpaid federal airport staff started to call in sick at abnormal rates, creating issues at airports.
“There are also problems with TSA and with Customs and Border Patrol on international flights. I’ve made requests to try to get more employees for both. We don’t have them adequately staffed,” Doggett said.
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