Letter: Air travelers pay the price for shutdown

This letter originally appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“TSA warns Atlanta airport security delays could get worse during shutdown” (AJC Oct. 21) is the latest reminder that the federal shutdown is pushing an aviation system running on fumes to its breaking point.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport already faces a severe air traffic controller shortage, with staffing well below the Federal Aviation Authority’s safety metrics thanks to years of neglect. Now, with controllers working without pay and training programs on hold, delays and disruptions will only worsen for the airport’s 275,000 daily passengers.

Congress needs to stop treating the FAA like a political bargaining chip. A long-term funding plan that insulates air traffic controller training and hiring from future shutdowns would be a worthwhile investment. But until then, lawmakers must set aside their differences and restore government funding before more travelers pay the price.

Jackson Shedelbower is the executive director of the Center for Transportation Policy in Arlington, Virginia.