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How a government shutdown could affect air travel, TSA, and flight delays

Ross Feinstein weighed in on the immediate impacts for air travel.

As federal agencies begin warning workers to prepare for a government shutdown, Americans have raised concerns as to how it could affect upcoming travel plans, from TSA wait times at the airport to passport processing.

As ABC News reported previously, lawmakers have until the end of the day Sept. 30 to reach a deal that funds the federal government, or it will shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET on Sunday. With House Republicans fractured over Speaker Kevin McCarthy's proposals and a bipartisan Senate stopgap bill all but dead on arrival, a shutdown is becoming more and more likely.

How a government shutdown could impact travel

Ross Feinstein, a strategic communications professional who has worked for a handful of government agencies -- including as the former spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration -- shared his insight as someone who has been through a government shutdown before.

"It should be business as usual. And I caveat that as it should be , because government employees that work for the TSA, [U.S. Customs and Border Protection], and the Federal Aviation Administration -- air traffic controllers -- they're considered essential employees that are required to work during government shutdown," he explained. "Ultimately, those employees are required to stay on the job and work like normal."

"For a passenger, it should be normal," he continued, adding that "TSA officers, CBP officers and air traffic controllers with the FAA should be at their office or in air traffic controllers or at airports like normal," and that "the government is paying these employees on an IOU basis."

When the government reopens, Feinstein said furloughed employees are guaranteed to be paid back, but in the interim, he said those individuals "might be living paycheck to paycheck ... unable to potentially pay their rent" or for things like "family assistance" or groceries.

"It's really unfair to them that a political fight in Washington, D.C., is ultimately going to require a federal government employee to have an IOU with the federal government," he added.

On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said air travel will remain safe in a shutdown, but that training for new air traffic controllers will pause, with 1,000 trainees furloughed.

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What happens if there is a government shutdown?

Feinstein, who also previously worked for American Airlines, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, also addressed whether or not airline passengers could expect longer wait times or delays at the airport.

"We've seen in the past that some employees haven't come to work [during a shutdown], so there have been delays in TSA checkpoints," he said. "So, that's a real risk here."

He added, "It can definitely mean that air traffic controllers might not show up to work. It can mean TSA officers aren't at the checkpoints. It could be that CBP officers aren't in or greeting those international arrivals, and customs lines could be longer."

Ultimately, Feinstein said airlines could "potentially have to cancel flights because air traffic controllers are not in place and they have to slow down the number of departures and arrivals into major U.S. airports."

"It's the uncertainty here that we just don't know," he said.

Feinstein encouraged customers who are flying during a government shutdown "to thank those TSA officers" who are "doing a lot of work under a stressful situation when they have no idea when they'll be paid, but they're showing up to work anyway because they're an essential employee."

Could a government shutdown affect passport processing

When it comes to passport and visa processing, those operations -- which have notably slowed since the pandemic -- should continue during a shutdown "as the situation permits," according to guidance the State Department gave employees last week.

Feinstein said "passport processing will continue as normal for a period of time" because "they have different appropriations for that process, just like TSA PreCheck applications, because those are user funded."

Consulates in the U.S. and abroad will also stay open "as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations," the State Department guidance said.

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Final-boarding rule — the random airline 10-minute rule

by Janice Hough | Apr 2, 2024 | *Travel Advice , airline

Most frequent airline travelers have been barely on one side or another of the final-boarding rule, or “10-minute rule.”

Sometimes it’s the passenger’s fault, either for checking in late or dawdling in the airport. On other occasions, it’s because of a late connection. But, the most maddening thing is that the final-boarding rule isn’t consistently applied.

Last week, two persistent travelers ended up on the wrong side of the door with this final-boarding rule.

The first involved a United Global Services passenger, the airline’s highest frequent flier rank. The frequent flier got to the airport seven hours before his scheduled red-eye and barely in time for stand-by on an earlier flight.

The arbitrary “final-boarding rule” applies at all times

In the second case, a United 1k (100,000 miles a year) traveler landed late into Denver on a connection from Washington, D.C., to Bozeman. He still had about 15 minutes to spare, was upgraded, and was only three gates from his connecting flight.

So, while he felt confident, the traveler still raced off the plane and to his connecting gate. While the plane had not departed, he was told he had just missed the cut-off. Again, they had closed the door to the ramp early. Even with the last flight of the night, he was a victim of the final-boarding rule. So, he ended up spending the night in Denver . (United did at least pay for his hotel.)

ALSO ON TRAVELERS UNITED: Why big passengers are creating havoc in planes

Why can’t the boarding rule be consistent?

While these clients both missed flights, I’ve had situations where the planes were held and have been on flights delayed for connecting passengers. (In more than one case, just for one or two people.) There doesn’t seem to be a consistent pattern.

Moreover, airport reservations agents’ departure boards aren’t updated with actual real flight times. Sometimes, a flight that shows boarding can be closed. More than once, I’ve gone to a gate where it’s less than 10 minutes before departure and the door is still open.

READ ALSO: 4 ways to make airplane boarding announcements more useful

(The last time, when I thought I’d missed a connection in Denver, I ran at top speed, only to have the gate agent laugh and ask, “What’s your hurry?,” adding, “We wouldn’t leave without you.”)

Why won’t gate agents bend the 10-minute rule?

I can understand why United wanted to close the door on the Denver flight. It was already over an hour late, although I have to wonder — with empty seats and a valued customer, would it have made that much difference? The traveler had an upgraded first-class seat on the sold-out redeye flight as an added inducement to United. They no doubt could have used that seat.

One thought is that the crew could have been reaching their maximum hours. United may have needed to close the door or get a new crew. If so, presumably, the gate agent could have easily told the traveler.

The Denver to Bozeman flight problem makes less sense. It was the last flight of the day. It was United’s delay that made the connection tight. And the connecting plane left on time, so it was less likely to be a crew issue.

Travelers understand that “stuff happens.” Just tell us.

In a perfect world, I’d love to see some approximate standards for holding flights — especially the last flight of the night to anywhere — or at least more communication.

However, even a travel agent or reservations agent can’t know when an airline door will slam shut. Even with access to up-to-date departure information, agents still can’t tell when an airline door will be closed. Or, even when it is already closed.

When it is within your control, run, don’t walk, to the gate.

My rule: Ten minutes before departure is when getting on a plane is no longer within your control. It’s better to sit or stand around the gate area waiting to board. Don’t be looking for another flight or a hotel room.

So while it is within your control, run, don’t walk, to the gate.

READ ALSO: Use emergency expert advice. Don’t take Facebook meme advice when lost or stranded! Why photographing through glass is a traveler’s challenge

Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)

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Accomplishments.

These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies.

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• – Lost/damaged/delayed luggage compensation limit increased to $3,800
• – Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty
• – Once an airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased
• – Families flying together act passed by Congress that requires family members 13 years of age and younger to sit with other family members at no additional cost.

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How a government shutdown could affect your travel plans

What to know about airports, passports and national parks.

With House Republicans still at odds over government spending, a shutdown could be days away. The fiscal year ends Saturday, and if lawmakers don’t agree on a budget before then, some federal employees will work without pay, some facilities will close and programs such as food stamps will go unfunded.

What is affected by a government shutdown and how it could impact you

In the world of travel, the workers who keep airports running would be deemed essential, but passport operations and national parks could be affected. That shoulder season trip you planned can likely go ahead unimpeded, but here’s what you need to know.

Government shutdown: What to know

The latest: The Senate approved a $1.2 trillion spending bill in the wee hours of Saturday morning to prevent a brief partial government shutdown, sending the bill to President Biden to sign into law. See how every Senate and House member voted .

What would be affected in a shutdown? The funding that was set to expire on March 22 covers agencies that represent roughly 70 percent of the federal government . If the partial government shutdown lasted past the weekend it would affect a wide range of crucial federal services and thousands of employees. When funding lapses, many government workers are furloughed until their agencies reopen. Certain federal workers — mostly those involved in national security or vital economic activity — continue working unpaid.

History of shutdowns: Which president had the most shutdowns? Here’s a look at the shortest and longest government shutdowns in U.S. history.

• Biden signs $1.2 trillion spending bill into law, averting government shutdown March 23, 2024 Biden signs $1.2 trillion spending bill into law, averting government shutdown March 23, 2024
• How every senator voted on the budget bill to avert a government shutdown March 23, 2024 How every senator voted on the budget bill to avert a government shutdown March 23, 2024
• How every House member voted on the budget bill to avert a shutdown March 22, 2024 How every House member voted on the budget bill to avert a shutdown March 22, 2024

A government shutdown wouldn't stop air travel, but it could make it worse

The U.S. air travel system is huge and complicated, and it could show significant signs of stress in the event of a federal government shutdown.

As the hours tick by without any indication of progress on a new funding bill, it looks more and more likely that the government will shut down at 12:01 ET on Sunday. Many federal programs and agencies will have to stop funding and their workers will be furloughed.

Federal Aviation Administration employees, such as air traffic controllers, and Transportation Safety Administration employees, like security screeners, would still be expected to report to work but not get paid.

While those people will get back pay sometime after the government gets funded again, they're not likely to be happy about delayed paychecks, and if the shutdown drags on, more of them will probably stay home. That would contribute to flight delays and cancellations.

We’d like to hear from you about how you’re preparing for a possible government shutdown, whether you might be out of work or feel the effects of shuttered services. Please contact us at  [email protected]  or reach out to us  here .

The nonprofit U.S. Travel Association said earlier this month that a shutdown could cause consumers to eliminate $140 million a day in travel spending, would worsen flight delays and increase screening lines.

It could also push back crucial modernization work at U.S. airports that are in poor condition.

The group says that, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos, 60% of Americans said they would cancel or avoid air travel during a shutdown.

Some key essential workers would be affected

At a news conference on Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said his department will have to immediately stop training new air traffic controllers if there is a shutdown, and furlough another 1,000 controllers who are "in the training pipeline."

The FAA says there are 45,000 flights in the U.S. on an average day, a number that has grown over the years even as experts say the agency has been operating without enough air traffic controllers. Buttigieg said the government hired 1,500 controllers this year and plans to hire 1,800 in 2024, but said the training and certification process is so long and complex that even a relatively brief shutdown could prevent that from happening.

"We finally have that headed in the right direction," Buttigieg said of the controller staffing and training. "Even a few days or weeks could set us back well into next year."

That, in turn, could make the system itself more brittle.

Buttigieg also emphasized the stresses that transportation personnel would feel if they don't get their pay on time, which would almost certainly be exacerbated by ongoing high inflation .

That combination of fragility and frustration actually helped bring about the end of the last government shutdown, the longest ever, which stretched from December 2018 to January 2019.

As it dragged on, unions representing aviation safety inspectors and air traffic controllers said that their furloughs were making air travel dangerous for the public. Some were then ordered to come back to work.

Meanwhile, frustrated at the lack of pay, increasing numbers of security personnel called out sick and lines at airports got longer. Finally, a group of 10 air traffic controllers did the same, causing widespread delays on the East Coast. That helped force an end to the shutdown.

Marley Jay is a business news reporter for NBC News Digital.

Watch CBS News

Plan to travel? How a government shutdown could affect your trip.

By Megan Cerullo

Updated on: September 27, 2023 / 10:59 AM EDT / MoneyWatch

If the U.S. government shuts down next week , a lapse in federal funding to agencies that enable air travel could disrupt Americans' fall travel plans.

Though Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents responsible for keeping the skies safe, are deemed essential and would therefore be required to work in the event of a shutdown, they would have to do so without immediate pay, according to the White House.

That's in part why Americans with trips planned could feel the effects of a government shutdown, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warning it could cause "significant" delays for travelers.

A government shut down could cost the U.S. travel economy as much as $140 million a day, according to the  U.S. Travel Association . The strain on the U.S. travel system would lead to more flight delays, longer screening lines and holdups in air travel modernization, according to the group. 

What a shutdown would mean for travelers

For starters, many Americans say they simply won't travel if Congress can't approve new spending for federal agencies before an October 1 deadline. Six in 10 Americans said they would cancel or avoid air travel in the event of a shutdown, according to a survey from  Ipsos and U.S. Travel .

With a possible government shutdown just days away, Scott Keyes, founder of travel website Going.com, is urging some travelers to come up with alternative plans immediately.

That includes people planning to visit one of the U.S.'s national parks next week. 

• Who does a government shutdown affect most? 
• A history of government shutdowns: The 14 times funding has lapsed since 1980

During the government shutdown in 2013, national parks and Washington, D.C., monuments were closed, resulting in roughly $500 million in lost tourism dollars, according to the National Parks Service .

Many parks stayed open during a shutdown in 2018 and 2019 thanks to state funding, but services such as trash collection and restrooms were unavailable. 

For example, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs told the Arizona Republic that the Grand Canyon would stay open in the event of a federal government shutdown, through funding from the Arizona Lottery. "Arizona should not have to suffer because of the federal government's inaction," Hobbs told the media outlet. "The Grand Canyon is a pillar of our state and provides good paying jobs for hundreds of Arizonans while showcasing one of the seven natural wonders of the world to those who visit."

In 2018, then Gov. Douglas Ducey signed an executive order  to keep the park open with state funding maintaining operations.

Still, Keyes said it would be wise to reconsider parks visits. 

"For most travelers hoping to visit a national park next week, I would start making other plans. I would not count on that trip happening; it's time to start looking into plan B," he told CBS MoneyWatch.

Low-morale for those required to work

It could take days or weeks for a government shutdown to start affecting airport operations. 

While TSA and air traffic controllers would continue to work, their lack of on-time pay could drag down morale and hamper operations. 

"Immediately, it doesn't have a huge impact," Keyes said. "But if it lasts weeks or months, you'll see quite a few TSA officers and FAA employees suffering from low morale and getting behind on bills. There will be an increasing number of absences, longer security lines, flight delays and cancellations."

Workers who stay on the job don't work for free, but they would only earn backpay when a potential government shutdown ends. 

"It's a delay not a denial when it comes to paychecks, but for a lot of folks, you can't pass along that IOU to the grocery store or landlord, so it can have a large impact for people's pocketbooks," Keyes said.

During the 2018-2019 shutdown, an uptick in unscheduled air traffic controller absences led to flight cancellations and travel disruptions at New York's LaGuardia airport and major airports in Atlanta, Philadelphia and New Jersey. 

That's not to say airport workers will stay home on October 1. "A short-term stoppage would have very little impact on airports," Moody's Investors Service airline industry analyst Kurt J. Krummenacker said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. 

Longer term, though, "it will impede the ability of federal agencies to meet their missions of air traffic control, TSA passenger processing, customs and border processing and federal grant distribution for airport capital spending," he added.

"Humongous repercussions"

A shutdown would also halt the FAA's efforts to hire and train 2,600 new employees at  " exactly the wrong moment," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Congress on Wednesday.

A possible shutdown would also coincide with a shortage of roughly 3,000 air traffic controllers in the U.S., and "at the very moment when we finally have those air traffic control workforce numbers headed in the right direction," according to Buttigieg.

"They are already stretched thin at important air corridors like New York," Keyes of Going.com said. "This will exacerbate it."

For those on the job today, "understanding that pay will come retroactively is a helpful salve, but there still might be a decrease in morale, increase in absences and folks being distracted from an already stressful, rigorous and extremely important job," he added. "Even one mistake can have humongous repercussions."

Passport delays

Some passport agencies are housed in government buildings that would close in the event of a shutdown, leading to fewer available appointments for renewals and new applications as well as processing delays, Becky Blaine, travel industry editor for travel site The Points Guy, told CBS MoneyWatch.

Don't count on speedy visitor visa and other program approvals, either.

"It would also trickle down to processing times for visas and global entry," she said.

• Government Shutdown

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News Streaming to discuss her reporting.

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More TSA Agents Call Out Sick, Airport Terminals Shut as Government Shutdown Continues

By Meredith Carey

Check with your airport before you fly to see if wait times are longer than usual.

The government shutdown has hit day 24—making it the longest in U.S. history—and federal employees who are considered essential, including Transportation Security Administration agents asked to show up to work regardless, have now missed one full paycheck. (One TSA worker even started a GoFundMe to help cover his family's bills.) As a result, agents have been calling out of work across the country; and airports in Miami and Houston have had to close entire terminals amid the TSA staffing shortage. If you're flying this week, here's what you need to know.

What's the TSA saying?

The TSA has acknowledged the higher-than-usual call outs. TSA spokesman Michael Bilello tweeted that agent call outs for Monday, January 15 increased from 3.2 percent of TSA agents to 7.6 percent of all agents. (While it seems like a small increase, that's actually a 137 percent increase in sick calls.) But Bilello also acknowledges that the agents weren't necessarily calling out "sick," telling ABC News the sick days could be a result of lack of "transportation, [or the] kids are home from school" for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. "But, you know, there probably are some folks in there that perhaps are not coming in because they’re frustrated or because they’re looking for other jobs," he said.

The TSA says the call outs' affect on wait times aren't significant—yet. As of Sunday, nearly all passengers (99.1 percent, to be exact) waited an average of less than 30 minutes, Bilello tweeted . (The TSA's standard is around 20 minutes, according to a TSA spokesperson last June —though there are exceptions, as you'll see below.) TSA PreCheck–approved travelers waited eight minutes, on average, in line with the usual times. If call outs increase as the shutdown continues, wait times may increase, Bilello told CNN .

A small break may come for agents, as TSA Administrator David Pekoske approved $500 bonuses for all TSA agents. The bonus, given "in recognition of their hard work during yet another busy holiday travel season, maintaining the highest of security standards during an extraordinary period," should hit security officers' bank accounts in the next few days, TSA Administrator David P. Pekoske announced on Twitter Friday.

What airports are being affected?

For security reasons, airports and TSA spokespeople have not released exact numbers regarding how many people have called out sick. But the effects are being felt across the country. Wait times in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (the busiest airport in the world) were over an hour, even for domestic flights, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday morning. At least six TSA checkpoints were closed due to staffing shortage.

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In Houston, George Bush International Airport closed the ticket counters and all security checkpoints of Terminal B, which mostly serves domestic United flights, citing "staffing issues associated with the partial shutdown of the federal government" as the reason behind the closure. Flights will still fly in and out of the terminal, but passengers will have to check in and go through security in Terminals C or E, and then take a tram to B, the airport announced . There's no announced end-date for the security closure.

Over the weekend, Miami International Airport closed an entire terminal for three days to distribute TSA agents to busier checkpoints. The airport's spokesperson says the number of screeners calling out has doubled, compared to the standard number, and that TSA managers were "erring on the side of caution,” according to the Miami Herald . The terminal has since reopened.

How can you prepare?

This is when TSA PreCheck and Clear come in handy. While you can't sign up day of for the government-run PreCheck, which lets you fast track through security without removing your shoes, liquids, or electronics ($85 for five years), you can sign up for the biometric-based Clear, which allows you to skip the line at major airports in cities like Denver, Phoenix, and Miami using a fingerprint and eye scan. (You'll sign up online and verify your biometric info day of at a participating airport, so be sure to give yourself extra time if so.) The company, unlike TSA PreCheck, lets you skip the document check by verifying your identity digitally at a kiosk for $179 per year. You'll still have to go through security (either regular TSA or PreCheck, depending on your clearance) once through the Clear check.

If you don't already have a flash pass through the long lines, we have a few tips to make sure your security screening goes smoothly—even if it takes a little longer than usual to get there. It all starts with packing : Remember that all liquid items in a carry-on must meet the TSA's 3-1-1 rule (3.4-ounce containers in a clear, quart-sized bag). Keep electronics near the top, too, and remember to remove your laptop and place it in a separate bin before sending your carry-on through the X-ray machine. Most importantly, double check your bag for a rogue water bottle and be sure to pour out its contents if you find one. It will take more time to get through security if your bag gets pulled for manual inspection, whether or not there are fewer TSA agents to check it.

Planning around precise wait times before you get the airport is tricky business. (The TSA's My TSA app , which offers crowdsourced data, leaves a lot to be desired.) But some airports, like Austin–Bergstrom International Airport and Atlanta's Hartsfield–Jackson airport , list their approximate wait times online, too. Be sure to check if certain checkpoints are more crowded than others, even if it means a longer walk to your gate. And assume that arriving at least two hours before your flight is a safe bet.

Last but not least, check with your airline—and often. So far, no airline has released a statement about the TSA lines or the government shutdown yet, but be on the lookout in your inbox for specific warnings about long security lines if the shutdown continues.

This story was originally published on January 7. It had been updated with new information.

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Help! My Travel Agency Shut Down and I’m Out $2,000

Our columnist investigates whether there is any recourse for a canceled flight booked through STA Travel, which filed for bankruptcy in August.

By Sarah Firshein

Dear Tripped Up,

Earlier this year, I used STA Travel to book a British Airways flight from Tucson, Ariz., to South Africa, scheduled to depart in March. Then the pandemic hit, one of the flight legs was canceled and I canceled my trip. After some back and forth, STA secured a refund from British Airways. I was told by an STA representative that my airfare — $2,059.36 — would be credited back to my credit card account within 60 days. Two months came and went. Then I learned that STA had gone out of business. Kaitlin

Dear Kaitlin,

When I first read your email, I was hit with an inkling of hope that your credit card company could rush in and save the day. Still, I set off to learn more about the laws and policies at play, so I did what I usually do when I start a Tripped Up column: I emailed some industry sources and started a Google Doc to organize my thoughts.

The notes became a rabbit hole , expanding with news coverage of STA’s collapse, a list of potential interview subjects, email addresses for international press offices and lengthy financial documents. From the chicken scratch, one truth emerged: Anyone attempting to recoup funds from an out-of-business company will likely confront uphill battles, tall orders and every other cliché in the book.

“In general, when a company goes into bankruptcy, basically it’s the vultures picking over the bones,” said Ira Rheingold, the executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit. “The last people who will get a piece of those bones are going to be the unsecured creditors: the consumers.”

Formerly a major travel agency for youth and student trips, STA Travel filed for bankruptcy in August after a crippling flurry of pandemic-related cancellations; it was the first major travel agency to fall because of the pandemic. Although STA’s Instagram account has been dormant for more than two months, the comments live on as a record of unanswered questions and in-limbo refunds: “I have a student that is needing an update on her refund status and there is literally no way to reach anyone,” wrote one user. “I wonder how many people got robbed of their hard-saved holiday money,” lamented another.

From the start, your case felt like a maze of sharp corners and dead ends. First I visited the STA Travel website: shut down. Then I emailed the customer service agent you had corresponded with: bounceback. When I reached out to the press office of Diethelm Keller Group, STA’s former parent company that is based in Switzerland, and I got the following statement back: “As STA Travel Holding AG is in insolvency proceedings, Diethelm Keller Group is not in a position to provide further support or information.”

I contacted the Arizona Attorney General’s office after discovering one address for STA in Arizona — possibly a franchise — but was told by a spokeswoman that all consumer complaints are confidential.

I considered calling British Airways, but decided against it; after all, the airline had already canceled your tickets and refunded your money (to STA). Customers hoping to cancel active reservations might have luck by appealing directly to the travel company in question, but anyone waiting for an in-process refund from an intermediary like STA probably would not.

I also thought about what would happen if you were to file a complaint with the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, but decided that the particulars of your situation would almost certainly translate into more wasted time. There are simply too many layers of gray areas: Only one of your flight legs was canceled by the airline, you purchased tickets from a third-party seller and your refund had already ostensibly been approved.

Travel insurance wouldn’t have necessarily been a magic bullet, either, said Jennifer Fitzgerald, the co-founder and chief executive of Policygenius , an online insurance marketplace. Even when policies do cover the financial default of a travel supplier, they come with loads of caveats, restrictions and conditions.

“Not every travel insurance policy includes financial default protection, and not every provider will be covered,” said Ms. Fitzgerald. “For example, third-party sellers, like travel agencies, will tend not to qualify as travel suppliers, so travel insurance financial default protection won’t cover them.”

I got about 10 pages into a 90-page bankruptcy document outlining the liquidity ratio of STA’s New Zealand arm before (to use another cliché) going back to square one: the credit card company.

Some credit cards include financial insolvency protection (designed to help cardholders when a travel merchant goes bankrupt) in trip cancellation insurance. Others, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve card you used, exclude financial insolvency protection from insurance, handling it through standard disputes channels instead.

In an emailed statement, a spokeswoman for JPMorgan Chase said, “A cardmember can submit a dispute as a result of merchant financial insolvency, which we review on a case-by-case basis.”

The Fair Credit Billing Act, a federal law enacted to protect consumers from unfair credit billing practices, doesn’t have a specific carve-out for a merchant’s financial insolvency, but it does consider “charges for goods and services you didn’t accept or that weren’t delivered as agreed” one of several types of billing errors that consumers have the right to dispute . And although every credit card dispute hinges on the particulars, this is the easiest, most actionable move for lone consumers battling a company that has all but evaporated.

You might wonder, as I did, whether things are more complicated because you’re an American citizen trying to get a refund from an insolvent Swiss company for a canceled British flight. But so long as the consumer’s account with the credit card issuer (a bank, most likely) is based in the United States, and credit is issued to a United States resident, the transaction is covered by the billing error rules of the F.C.B.A.

To protect your rights under the F.C.B.A. in the Before Times, you would have had 60 days from the statement with the billing error to dispute the charge. But these times are hardly normal. That’s why a representative at JPMorgan Chase — citing “your atypical situation with this merchant” — issued you a full refund.

My quest unearthed other tips: Even if you’re filing a dispute through a credit card’s online channels, be sure to also submit the dispute in writing, via snail-mail, to the address the card issuer specifies for billing errors (a condition of the F.C.B.A.). The Federal Trade Commission has a good sample letter online. If you’re not making headway, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has jurisdiction over the country’s largest banks.

One final word of advice — and one final cliché — from Mr. Rheingold: “It’s about the squeaky wheel, right? Putting something out on social media: ‘Can you believe what this company did to me?’ Or saying, ‘I’ve been a cardmember for the last 20 years and I’m getting rid of it from now.’ That’s not legal advice — that’s just practical. That’s when you get your money back.”

Sarah Firshein is a Brooklyn-based writer. If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to [email protected] .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation.

Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

Government shutdowns q&a: everything you should know.

The third continuing resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 expires in two tranches, the first of which funds 4 of the 12 appropriations bills and runs out on March 1, 2024, and Congress has so far enacted no full-year appropriations. Lawmakers have until midnight on the final day of the CR to enact legislation to fund the programs covered by the first part of the laddered CR or these government activities will shut down. One week later, on March 8, 2024, the second part of the laddered CR and remaining appropriations will expire. A shutdown in FY 2024 could affect either the full slate of federal activities covered by discretionary appropriations or a select set of programs covered by certain appropriations bills that are allowed to expire depending on lawmakers’ actions.

What is a government shutdown?

What services are affected in a shutdown and how, is the government preparing for a shutdown, how would federal employees be affected, how and why do mandatory programs continue during a shutdown, how many times has the government shut down, does a government shutdown save money, how can congress avoid a shutdown, what is a continuing resolution, how often does congress pass crs, what are the disadvantages of using crs, how is congress addressing funding, how does a shutdown differ from a default, how does a shutdown differ from “sequestration” or “sequester”.

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Many federal government agencies and programs rely on annual funding appropriations passed by Congress. Every year, Congress must pass and the President must sign budget legislation for the next fiscal year, consisting of 12 appropriations bills, one for each Appropriations subcommittee. Congress has not yet enacted any of the 12 bills for FY 2024 that make up the discretionary spending budget. In a “shutdown,” federal agencies must discontinue all non-essential discretionary functions until new funding legislation is passed and signed into law. Essential services continue to function, as do mandatory spending programs.

Each federal agency develops its own shutdown plan, following guidance released in previous shutdowns and coordinated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The plan identifies which government activities may not continue until appropriations are restored, requiring furloughs and the halting of many agency activities. Essential services – many of which are related to public safety – continue to operate, with payments covering any obligations incurred only when appropriations are enacted. In prior shutdowns, border protection, in-hospital medical care, air traffic control, law enforcement, and power grid maintenance have been among the services classified as essential, while some legislative and judicial staff have also been largely protected. Mandatory spending not subject to annual appropriations, such as for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, also continues. Other examples of activities that continue are those funded by permanent user fees that are not subject to appropriations, such as immigration services funded by visa fees. Certain programs that are funded through advance appropriations, such as those within the Veterans Health Administration, have been minimally affected during recent shutdowns.

Although many programs are exempt, the public is still likely to feel the impact of a shutdown in several ways. For example, in a full shutdown:

• Social Security and Medicare : Checks are sent out, but benefit verification as well as card issuance would cease. While unlikely to happen again, during the 1995-1996 shutdown, more than 10,000 Medicare applicants were temporarily turned away every day of the shutdown.
• Environmental and Food Inspection : During the 2013 shutdown, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) halted site inspections for 1,200 different sites that included hazardous waste, drinking water, and chemical facilities, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) delayed almost 900 inspections. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the FDA restored some food inspections a few weeks into the funding lapse for products that were considered high-risk.
• National Parks : In 2013, the National Park Service (NPS) turned away millions of visitors to more than 400 parks, national monuments, and other sites. NPS estimated that the shutdown led to more than $500 million in lost visitor spending nationwide. Many parks remained open during the 2018-2019 shutdown, though no visitor services were provided, and damage and trash build-up were reported at many sites.
• Air Travel : During the 2018-2019 shutdown, air travel was strained as a result of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents working without pay. Travelers faced longer lines as some TSA agents did not report to work and security checkpoints were closed, while the absence of ten air traffic controllers temporarily stopped travel at LaGuardia Airport and caused delays at several major airports.
• Health and Human Services : The National Institutes of Health (NIH) would be prevented from admitting new patients or processing grant applications. In 2013, states were forced to front the money for formula grant programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, sometimes described as “cash welfare”).
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) : As a result of funds provided in the Inflation Reduction Act, essential IRS operations would continue and roughly one-third of its nearly 90,000 employees would be exempt from furlough. In 2013, a backlog of 1.2 million income and Social Security number verification requests delayed mortgage and other loan approvals, and billions of dollars of tax refunds were also delayed. At least 26,000 furloughed IRS employees were recalled to work during the 2018-2019 shutdown in preparation for tax season, but 14,000 did not show up to work without pay.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) : Though funding for the SNAP program is mandatory, the ability to send out “food stamp” benefits could be affected by a shutdown, since continuing resolutions have generally only authorized the Agriculture Department (USDA) to send out benefits for 30 days after a shutdown begins. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the USDA paid February SNAP benefits early on January 20, just before the 30-day window ended, but it would have been unable to pay March benefits had the shutdown continued. In addition, during any shutdown, stores are not able to renew their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card licenses, so those whose licenses expire would not be able to accept SNAP benefits during a shutdown.

OMB maintains a list of the various contingency plans federal agencies will follow during a shutdown. Most have been updated within the past year, but some have not been updated in more than four years.

A full shutdown would be more extensive than the partial shutdown that started in December 2018, when Congress had enacted five of the 12 appropriations bills. A full shutdown would likely be similar to recent ones in 2013 and early 2018, when approximately 850,000 out of 2.1 million non-postal federal employees were furloughed. In 2013, most of the 350,000 civilian employees at the Defense Department who had been furloughed were summoned back to work within a week. Furloughed employees are not allowed to work and do not receive paychecks, but are guaranteed back pay due to legislation passed in January 2019 . Federal contractors have historically not received back pay.

At the beginning of the partial 2018-2019 shutdown, an estimated 380,000 employees were furloughed, a smaller number than usual since large federal employers such as the Veterans Affairs and Defense Departments were already funded. Another 420,000 employees reported to work but did not receive pay until the shutdown ended. As the 2018-2019 shutdown continued, departments and agencies such as the IRS and State Department recalled an increasing number of employees.

Whereas discretionary spending must be appropriated every year, mandatory spending is authorized either for multi-year periods or permanently. Thus, mandatory spending generally continues during a shutdown. However, some services associated with mandatory programs may be diminished if there is a discretionary component to their funding. For instance, during the 1996 shutdowns and the 2013 shutdown, Social Security checks continued to go out, but staff who handled new enrollments and other services, such as changing addresses or handling requests for new Social Security cards, were initially furloughed in 1996. In 2013, certain activities were discontinued, including verifying benefits and providing new and replacement cards, but the processing of benefit applications or address changes continued. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, USDA had to rely on a special authority included in the previous CR to allow it to continue issuing SNAP benefits.

Since Congress introduced the modern budget process in 1976, there have been 20 “funding gaps,” including the 2018-2019 shutdown and the one in January 2018, when funds were not appropriated for at least one day. (The hours-long lapse in appropriations in February 2018, though sometimes characterized as a shutdown, did not result in federal employee furloughs.) However, before 1980, the government did not shut down, but rather continued normal operations through six funding gaps. Since 1981, ten funding gaps of three days or fewer have occurred, mostly over a weekend when government operations were only minimally affected. 

There have now been four “true” shutdowns where operations were affected for more than one business day. The first two happened in the winter of 1995-1996, when President Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress were unable to agree on spending levels, causing the government to shut down twice, for a total of 26 days. The third was in 2013, when a House and Senate standoff over funding for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) resulted in a 16-day shutdown. The fourth shutdown in December 2018 and January 2019 – technically only a partial shutdown because five of the 12 appropriations had previously been enacted – centered on a dispute over border wall funding and was the longest-lasting shutdown at 35 days.

While estimates vary widely, evidence suggests that shutdowns tend to cost – not save – money for several reasons. For one, putting contingency plans in place has a real cost. In addition, many user fees and other charges are not collected during a shutdown, and federal contractors sometimes include premiums in their bids to account for uncertainty in being paid. While many federal employees are forced to be idle during a shutdown, they have historically received and are now guaranteed back pay, negating much of those potential savings. OMB official estimates of the 2013 government shutdown found that $2.5 billion in pay and benefits were paid to furloughed employees for hours not worked during the shutdown, as well as roughly $10 million in penalty interest payments and lost fee collections.

Shutdowns also carry a cost to the economy . The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown reduced Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by a total of $11 billion, including $3 billion that will never be recovered. On top of that effect, CBO notes that longer shutdowns negatively affect private-sector investment and hiring decisions as businesses cannot obtain federal permits and certifications or access federal loans. A 2019 Senate report found that the three government shutdowns in 2013, 2018, and 2019 wasted nearly $4 billion of taxpayer dollars .

There are essentially two ways to avoid a government shutdown – by passing appropriations or a continuing resolution (see question on “What is a Continuing Resolution?”). Theoretically, the House and Senate Appropriations committees are supposed to pass 12 different appropriations bills that are broken up by subject area and based on funding levels allocated in a budget resolution. Often, these bills are combined into larger “omnibus” or “minibus” legislation.

To avoid a shutdown, Congress would need to pass the first four of the 12 appropriations bills through both chambers and get them signed by the President by the end of the day on March 1, and then enact the remaining eight bills by the end of the day on March 8. This could be done by enacting each bill individually, or by packaging them together through an omnibus or minibus. Neither the House nor the Senate has yet acted on a fourth CR for FY 2024, hoping to garner support for an announced agreement to draft appropriations bills in line with the discretionary spending caps enacted in the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) last summer along with the debt limit suspension. Supplemental appropriations, including funds for domestic priorities such as disaster relief and child care , in addition to international security spending that includes assistance for Israel and additional Ukraine support that recently passed the Senate remain another point of contention as Congress considers a fourth FY 2024 CR. For more about the status of specific appropriations bills, see Appropriations Watch: FY 2024 .

A continuing resolution temporarily funds the government in the absence of full appropriations bills, often by continuing funding levels from the prior year. Traditionally, CRs have been used to give lawmakers a short period of time to complete their work on remaining appropriations bills while keeping the government open. CRs sometimes apply to only certain appropriations, but they can also be used to fund all discretionary functions for as long as the entire year.

CRs differ from normal appropriations bills in that they often “continue” funding allocations from previous bills at the prior year’s level, or through a formula based on the prior year’s level. Even when overall funding levels have differed, lawmakers have often simply scaled-up all accounts by a percent change in spending, rather than making individual decisions on spending accounts. However, CRs often do include certain “anomalies,” where specific items are increased or decreased to work around some problems that would occur from continuing the previous year’s policies, or “policy riders,” where certain funding restrictions are specified in order to dictate policy. Colloquially, a “clean CR” does not contain policy riders or politically motivated changes to funding levels.

Congress frequently passes CRs when lawmakers are unable to agree on appropriations before a deadline. Occasionally, multiple CRs are necessary to fund the government for an entire fiscal year. Congress also sometimes relies on CRs during presidential transition years. In FY 2001, a series of intense Congressional negotiations leading up to the 2000 election led to a series of ten, one-day CRs. In total, Congress funded the first three months of that fiscal year with 21 CRs.

Not surprisingly, CRs have been quite prevalent recently and were used to fund the government entirely in FY 2011, when eight CRs were passed, and in FY 2013, when two CRs were passed. In fiscal years 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, and 2023, CRs were used to fund the government for roughly a quarter of each year. For FY 2023, the most recent fiscal year, appropriations were completed in December , nearly one-fourth of the way through the fiscal year, requiring three CRs. Stopgap measures were used for nearly half of the year in FY 2022 , more than one-third of the year in FY 2019 , nearly half the year in FY 2018 , and more than half the year in FY 2017 . The most recent year when all full-year appropriations bills passed before the fiscal year began and no CRs were necessary was FY 1997.

Continuing resolutions have several negative implications for the budget’s overall efficiency. CRs usually continue funding at the past year’s level without any regard for changing policy needs or the value of each program within an agency. Using a CR wastes hundreds of hours of careful consideration and program evaluation incorporated into each agency’s budget submission. For instance, the President’s annual budget proposes a list of eliminations and reductions of programs that are duplicative or ineffective; a CR will continue to fund these unwanted programs. Finally, the use of CRs disrupts activities within agencies, makes it difficult to plan or start future projects, and costs staff time to revise work plans every time the budget changes.

Congress has not yet enacted any appropriations bills as of late February. The House has passed seven of its 12 FY 2024 appropriations bills. The Senate has passed a three-bill “minibus.” The two chambers have a number of differences related to overall funding levels (purportedly resolved with the announcement of a discretionary spending agreement in early January), allocation of spending, and policy riders. The House and Senate would have to agree on and pass the same versions of the bills before they are presented to the President for his signature. Congress is expected to consider another CR that would extend funding, largely at current levels, to allow more time to complete appropriations. For more about the status of specific appropriations bills, see Appropriations Watch: FY 2024 .

In a shutdown, the federal government temporarily stops paying employees and contractors who perform government services, whereas in a default the list of parties not paid is much broader. In a default, the government exceeds the statutory debt limit and is unable to pay some of its creditors (or other obligations). Without enough money to pay its bills, all the federal government’s payments are at risk — including all government spending, mandatory payments, interest on our debts, and payments to U.S. bondholders. While a government shutdown would be disruptive, a government default could be disastrous. For more on a default, see our Q&A: Everything You Should Know About the Debt Ceiling .

A government shutdown closes non-essential government operations due to a lack of funding, whereas a sequester or sequestration is shorthand for a process in which broad areas of government spending are reduced to make up for spending exceeding a certain threshold. In recent years, it has been associated with the reductions in discretionary spending caps that were in place up until FY 2021 that constrained the total amount of funding for annually appropriated programs. The discretionary spending caps for FY 2024 and FY 2025 enacted as part of the debt limit agreement in the FRA will also be enforced through sequestration. The sequestration mechanism for the next two years would work the same way as it did during the years the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 was in effect, with OMB issuing sequestration reports calculating the amounts of needed cuts at the end of each congressional session if discretionary spending exceeds the caps.

The first example of sequestration was included in the Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, and it is also used to enforce statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO). The BCA, which resolved the 2011 debt ceiling negotiations, created a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the “Super Committee”) to identify at least $1.5 trillion of deficit reduction over 10 years and set in motion the sequester if it did not identify at least $1.2 trillion. The failure of the Super Committee triggered sequestration, causing discretionary spending caps to be automatically lowered for both defense and nondefense. Congress never allowed the full BCA sequester to take effect, passing partial sequester relief in 2013 and 2015 , and more-than-fully reversing the sequester in 2018 and 2019 . If appropriations bills violated the increased spending caps, then across-the-board cuts would have been triggered.

For more information, see the following:

• Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget – Appropriations Watch: FY 2024
• Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget – What Happens in a Partial Government Shutdown?
• Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget – Maya MacGuineas’s Testimony on Continuing Resolutions, Omnibuses, and Shutdowns
• Congressional Budget Office – The Effects of the Partial Shutdown Ending in January 2019
• Congressional Research Service – Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview
• Congressional Research Service – The FY2014 Government Shutdown: Economic Effects
• Congressional Research Service – Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects
• Government Accountability Office – Uncertainty Limited Management Options and Increased Workload in Selected Agencies
• Office of Management and Budget – Agency Contingency Plans
• Office of Management and Budget – Impacts and Costs of the October 2013 Federal Government Shutdown
• Office of Management and Budget – Planning for Agency Operations During a Potential Lapse in Appropriation
• Roy T. Meyers – Late Appropriations and Government Shutdowns: Frequencies, Causes, Consequences, and Remedies
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations – The True Cost of Government Shutdowns

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Coronavirus Updates

The u.s. lifts the pandemic travel ban and opens the doors to international visitors.

The Associated Press

Passengers walk through Salt Lake City International Airport, Oct. 27, 2020. More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the U.S. to close its borders to international travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the U.K. and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status. Rick Bowmer/AP hide caption

Passengers walk through Salt Lake City International Airport, Oct. 27, 2020. More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the U.S. to close its borders to international travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the U.K. and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status.

The U.S. lifted restrictions Monday on travel from a long list of countries including Mexico, Canada and most of Europe, allowing tourists to make long-delayed trips and family members to reconnect with loved ones after more than a year and a half apart because of the pandemic.

Starting Monday, the U.S. is accepting fully vaccinated travelers at airports and land borders, doing away with a COVID-19 restriction that dates back to the Trump administration. The new rules allow air travel from previously restricted countries as long as the traveler has proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. Land travel from Mexico and Canada will require proof of vaccination but no test.

Airlines are expecting more travelers from Europe and elsewhere. Data from travel and analytics firm Cirium showed airlines are increasing flights between the United Kingdom and the U.S. by 21% this month over last month.

The change will have a profound effect on the borders with Mexico and Canada, where traveling back and forth was a way of life until the pandemic hit and the U.S. shut down nonessential travel.

Malls, restaurants and Main Street shops in U.S. border towns have been devastated by the lack of visitors from Mexico. On the boundary with Canada, cross-border hockey rivalries were community traditions until being upended by the pandemic. Churches that had members on both sides of the border are hoping to welcome parishioners they haven't seen during COVID-19 shutdown.

Loved ones have missed holidays, birthdays and funerals while nonessential air travel was barred, and they are now eager to reconnect.

River Robinson's American partner wasn't able to be in Canada for the birth of their baby boy 17 months ago because of pandemic-related border closures. She was thrilled to hear the U.S. is reopening its land crossings to vaccinated travelers.

"I'm planning to take my baby down for the American Thanksgiving," said Robinson, who lives in St. Thomas, Ontario. "If all goes smoothly at the border I'll plan on taking him down as much as I can. Is crazy to think he has a whole other side of the family he hasn't even met yet."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. will accept travelers who have been fully vaccinated with any of the vaccines approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, not just those in use in the U.S. That means that the AstraZeneca vaccine, widely used in Canada, will be accepted.

For air travelers, the airlines are required to verify vaccine records and match them against ID, and if they don't, they could face fines of up to nearly $35,000 per violation. Airlines will also collect information about passengers for contact tracing efforts. There will be CDC workers spot-checking travelers for compliance in the U.S. At land borders, Customs and Border Protection agents will check vaccine proof.

The moves come as the U.S. has seen its COVID-19 outlook improve dramatically in recent weeks since the summer delta surge that pushed hospitals to the brink in many locations.

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• A guide to air travel during the government shutdown

How flights and security lines are being affected.

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As the longest government shutdown in US history continues , Americans are restructuring their travel plans. National parks are either closed, trashed, or both , museum doors remain shut , and some people have even had to reschedule their weddings .

But the place where perhaps the greatest number of people are feeling the effects of the partial shutdown is at the airport, which is stressful even when functioning at full capacity.

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Transportation Security Administration agents are deemed “essential” employees and therefore must report to work even when they aren’t guaranteed a paycheck, and since they haven’t been getting paid, many are calling out sick . According to TSA , unscheduled absences of TSA agents reached 6.8 percent on January 14 and 6.1 percent on the 15th, significantly higher than what they were on these same days last year. The lack of staffing has led to both security and convenience concerns for flyers. Here are answers to a few questions you might have if you plan to take a trip sometime soon.

How is the shutdown affecting agents?

TSA agents make up 51,000 of the 420,000 federal employees who are deemed “essential,” and while they will be paid for their work eventually, they have no clue when exactly that day will come.

According to WNYC , the TSA is one of the lowest-paying federal agencies; the typical starting salary of an agent is $17,000 ( other estimates say it’s closer to $25,000). Many agents may not be able to afford child care, or they may be finding cash-paying jobs while the government is shut down, as the last regular paycheck was not sent.

And with President Trump declaring that the shutdown could last for “months” or even “years,” it’s easy to see why many are calling out or looking for other options. On January 11, the TSA announced that it would provide a day’s worth of pay to those who were on duty the day the shutdown was announced, plus a $500 bonus for working over the holiday season. As of the evening of January 16, however, no employees have received the bonus and some haven’t gotten their full day’s worth of pay. If this money ever arrives, it may help with the collective $438 million worth of mortgage and rent payments unpaid federal employees owe this month, but it still isn’t much.

So hard going through the airport today. I looked into the eyes of our workers who deserve better. A TSA officer said: "Don't stop fighting. Keep it up." I broke down & felt the weight of the responsibility on me. I will never become numb to the human impact. We must end this. — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) January 14, 2019

Is airport security worse?

Although TSA spokesperson Michael Bilello tweeted , “security standards remain uncompromised at our nation’s airports,” some alarming information has suggested otherwise.

On January 2, 11 days into the shutdown, a Delta Airlines passenger took a loaded gun through security at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and onto a Tokyo-bound flight. The passenger, who claimed they simply forgot the firearm was in their bag , discovered the gun and alerted the authorities, who met them in Japan when the plane landed.

About 5 percent of TSA employees nationwide did not report to work on the day of the incident, but Bilello says the breach of security had nothing to do with low staffing or the shutdown; it happened, he said, because “standard procedures were not followed.” According to TSA , in 2017, 3,957 firearms were recovered in carry-on bags at American airports and 84 percent of them were loaded.

Although this specific case is both extreme and murky, president of the national TSA employee union Hydrick Thomas told CNN that the number of TSA callouts “will definitely affect the flying public who we [are] sworn to protect.”

On January 14, one out of every 13 airport screeners (employees who screen passengers and luggage at security checkpoints) nationwide didn’t come into work. According to CNN’s sources , the screeners will likely do fewer random pat-downs, bag inspections, and other screenings. That could create a potential security vulnerability — an ironic, if potentially dangerous, situation given that the root cause of the shutdown is a fight over people coming into the country.

Are airport lines longer?

Short answer: maybe. Although it depends on the airport, many major hubs have reported longer lines. “While national average wait times are within normal TSA times of 30 minutes for standard lanes ... some airports experienced longer than usual wait times,” TSA said in a statement .

At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta on January 15, travelers waited more than an hour in security lines. And at Dallas Love Field Airport, travelers waited 44 minutes.

The @TSA flew 20 officers in -- who are also not being paid -- to help handle the lines at the #Atlanta airport. https://t.co/CuLipl7KPo pic.twitter.com/dhWGMYT935 — AJC (@ajc) January 16, 2019

Some airports have closed terminals due to lack of staffing and are filtering more travelers through fewer checkpoints. The George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston closed a checkpoint in Terminal B due to low staffing, funneling those passengers to terminals C and E. Over the weekend, Miami International Airport closed checkpoints in Terminal G and diverted passengers to other terminals, also citing low staffing.

Last week at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, employees and flyers were confronted with “endless lines,” ABC News reported. At Terminal C, which houses Delta, passengers waited 90 minutes in security lines. A similar situation arose at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport , which was already dealing with a TSA agent shortage.

Long, long lines at LaGuardia. #TrumpShutdown pic.twitter.com/mDq1uvt73G — Andries W. Coetzee (@andries_coetzee) January 6, 2019

Are flights getting delayed or canceled?

Not yet. Flight delays may be caused by winter storms across the Midwest, but so far, the government shutdown has not led to widespread delays or cancellations. Southwest Airlines was supposed to start flying to Hawaii early this year, but the shutdown has kept the company from pursuing that route.

There is, however, potential for future delays because of air traffic controllers . Air traffic controllers are also essential employees, and therefore have also been working without paychecks. If they start calling in sick, the government may have to limit the amount of air traffic, but it hasn’t come to that yet.

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Breaking Down the Pros and Cons of Using a Travel Agent

You're convinced that having a travel expert by your side will be useful. But how do you go about knowing when and how to book with them?

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Confession: I’m a big fan of travel agents (whoops, sorry, travel advisers ), even though I could technically book all my trips through websites and apps. And despite the fact that many of us might consider this industry old-fashioned and out-of-date, research shows that travelers, and millennials in particular, are once again turning to these specialists to help plow through TripAdvisor detritus. If you’re wondering: how much does a travel agent cost, and why would I book with one anyway? Read on.

How to Know If You Need a Travel Agent

Once you’ve come around to the idea of hiring a travel agent, ask these three questions before booking:

• Is this a domestic trip or one that involves traveling to a part of the world you’ve never been? If it’s the former you don’t need a travel agent.
• Can I get a better deal by using a travel agent? (This question requires you pricing out your trip with and without one.)
• Is this a big-budget, special-event kind of trip? If the answer is yes, go with a travel agent.

The Pros of Using a Travel Agent

They can find crazy deals..

This is literally their job. If they have been in the travel business for many years, they likely have supplier relationships in place that can help leverage better deals for you. Many travel agents specialize in locations (i.e., cruise vacations in Europe). Some travel agents offer package deals, with more savings passed on to you then booking the trip on your own—that is good news to your wallet.

They will be your advocate.

One of the best ways to utilize a travel agent is as an advocate should something derail on your trip. They can help you with lost luggage, in the case of natural disasters, if you get stuck in a location before your trip, etc. They are there to help you get your trip back on track.

They’ll take care of the little things.

I love my travel agent, and I love all the extras she provides when we use her services for a trip. For instance, when we traveled to the Bahamas, she made sure there was a nice bottle of champagne and strawberries in our room on our arrival, and she also upgraded our room free of charge. While this certainly is not a guarantee when you use a travel agent, there are a lot of added-value extras you can expect when you use a travel agent. Why? Because travel agents know you don’t have to use them to book your trip, and they want to say thank you.

They’re true experts.

Most travel agents have been working in the industry for years now, and it’s their job to stay on top of travel trends and upcoming hot destinations. When I spoke with my travel agent about a trip to Europe recently, she offered a few alternate destinations. I was not thinking about the destinations she suggested, but the alternatives offered great activities, culture, food, interesting boutique hotels, and more options for less money than my original destination.

They don’t usually cost extra.

It’s a myth that working with a travel agent will automatically cost you more; most get paid via commissions from the hotel or outfitter. Sure, some travel agents do charge a fee for putting together an itinerary, but most will credit you that fee if you end up booking the trip through them. Make sure you know all the potential fees before you use a travel agent, and do not hesitate to negotiate away.

The Cons of Using a Travel Agent

They’re not going to help with cheaper airfare..

Back in the day, you would use a travel agent to book every aspect of your trip. However, with so many options to find low-cost airfare, like Google Flights , Scott’s Cheap Flights , and  Skyscanner , booking your own flights is easy and cost-effective. Most travel agents cannot score discounted flights, and many travel agents will not even bother. Follow these tips on how to find the cheapest flights possible , instead.

They’re not you.

This may seem obvious, although it’s still important to consider. A travel agent not only finds you the best deals, but they also offer suggestions for activities, restaurants, and more. This is great if you’re someone who doesn’t like to research these things, but you run the risk of working with someone who doesn’t get your personal preferences (maybe they lean toward road tours rather than technical singletrack). Do your own research first, and come up with a list of activities that you want to do. Once you have that list, pass it along to your travel agent to see if they can rustle up any deals as they book.

How to Find a Great One

One of the best ways to find a reputable travel agent is to get referrals from your friends and family. Anyone that has used that travel agent for a previous trip and enjoyed their service is someone worth checking out. As with anything, I always suggest talking to at least two different travel agents to see who you feel most comfortable with. Remember, they are there to work for you.

Know your travel budget before you reach out to a travel agent. Likely, this will be the first question they ask you and will help steer them toward the best destinations for that budget. If you are traveling somewhere that’s specialized, like going on that once-in-a-lifetime African safari , find a specialist that knows that region inside and out. They will usually have the best deals and relationships with hotels and activity companies in that area.

How Much Does a Travel Agent Cost?

Usually, the cost of hiring a travel agent to organize a trip for you is fairly minimal. Many agencies charge a flat fee of around $100, and others may charge a certain small percentage of your trip. Most of their take-home profits come from the hotels, wholesalers, resorts, and businesses they work with, but be sure to as your travel agent about fees upfront and before you start working with them to plan your next dream vacation. (No one likes hidden fees and surprises.)

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What to do if your hotel shuts down during -- or right before -- your stay

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

To say the hotel industry has been through a lot since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic would be an understatement.

Shortly after the virus began spreading rapidly throughout the U.S. last year, demand for travel collapsed, leaving airplanes flying empty, or grounded altogether, and hotels vacant, with many deciding to close their doors for several months as the pandemic continued to wreak havoc across the country.

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While the full scale of the pandemic's impact on the industry remains to be seen, hotels throughout the nation remain on shaky ground despite a recent rebound in travel .

The current instability of the industry is reflected most clearly in several recent examples of hotels missing previously communicated opening dates and remaining shuttered or closing for good, despite having reopened prior, and leaving guests scrambling to find new accommodations after being given just hours to pack up their belongings and leave.

In this month alone, we've seen several reports of hotels closing in different areas of the country, leaving employees and guests in the lurch.

In the Orlando area, the former Champions World Resort near Walt Disney World shuttered without any warning during the middle of spring break, forcing about 100 guests to leave within hours of the announcement, according to Your Mileage May Vary . And, with spring break coinciding with the Easter holiday this year, it wasn't exactly easy for the majority of these guests to find a new place to stay in just a few hours.

In New York City , the Sheraton Tribeca has closed temporarily, which TPG learned through a tip from a reader email. The reader reports the hotel offered to rebook the reader at a Hyatt property near Times Square. Luckily, that reader hadn't yet traveled to the hotel , but the situation still likely caused a headache as they now have to rework their New York travel plans around their new location, which is quite different than Tribeca.

And on the West Coast, one of the most prestigious hotels in Southern California -- the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore in Santa Barbara -- never reopened and reportedly has canceled all reservations and events through 2022 . Now the employees of the shuttered hotel are said to be in talks with attorneys with the intent of bringing a lawsuit against the property.

While you may be tempted to think a situation like this could never happen to you, it certainly can -- even before the pandemic hotels seemingly closed without warning all the time for a variety of reasons, from financial insolvency to management disputes.

Here are some strategies you can employ to mitigate the chance that something like this happens to you in the future and to lessen the stress that will no doubt ensue should something similar happen to you:

Don't cancel any reservations

Even if you suspect something is not right with your chosen hotel, don't cancel your reservation ahead of time. If a hotel closes before you arrive, it should contact you to update you on the situation and provide you with an alternative option. But if you cancel proactively, you won't be offered anything in the way of compensation .

Book direct

If the worst comes to pass and you experience a hotel closure while staying on property, booking direct will allow you to deal with the hotel chain the property belonged to, instead of going through a third-party booking platform which may complicate the situation further. If you have elite status with the chain at which you're staying, it may help to remind any agent you work with that you're a loyal customer who values stays at this particular chain for a reason. It may motivate them to go the extra mile to assist you.

Ask for compensation

You definitely will want to ask for compensation from the property or the chain the hotel was affiliated with, no matter how you booked. It's preferable to deal directly with the hotel brand or chain itself, but if you did book through an online travel agency (OTA) , you'll want to contact them and explain the situation in case they're able to help. If the hotel is acting in the best interest of its affected guests, you should be re-accommodated and compensated fairly for the ordeal. And you might even end up with an upgraded stay at a nicer hotel in the area.

If all of this fails, you could file an insurance claim if you booked your stay with a credit card that comes with trip cancellation/delay insurance like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card. However, it's likely going to be hard to be awarded compensation this way. For example, the Sapphire Reserve might cover you if "you or your traveling companion's lodging accommodations at the destination of the trip [are] made uninhabitable". But the CSR wouldn't cover you due to "financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator, or travel supplier."

Look to hotel apps to buy you time

If you need to be out in a hurry, you can leverage apps like HotelTonight which are great for finding day-of stays at hotels with unsold rooms. This could allow you to book a room and ensure you have a place to stay (call the hotel directly to make sure they're still open before you click "book," though) and then from there you can figure out longer-term arrangements and how you're going to approach asking for compensation from the hotel that closed on you.

Book a vacation home rental

If you can't find a suitable hotel, you could move into a vacation home rental booked through a platform like Airbnb , Vrbo, Marriott Homes and Villas or others. While you won't have the same experience as a hotel, you may find you like it even better since you'll likely have access to a full kitchen, multiple bedrooms (depending on the type of rental you book) and more.

What does a travel agent do?

Would you make a good travel agent? Take our career test and find your match with over 800 careers.

What is a Travel Agent?

A travel agent assists individuals or groups in planning, organizing, and booking various aspects of their travel arrangements. They act as intermediaries between travelers and travel suppliers, such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and tour operators. Travel agents have in-depth knowledge of different destinations, travel options, and industry trends, which they leverage to provide personalized recommendations and advice to their clients.

One of the primary roles of a travel agent is to help clients navigate the complex world of travel. They listen to their clients' preferences, budget constraints, and desired experiences, and then work towards creating a tailored itinerary that meets their needs. Travel agents handle tasks such as booking flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and excursions, ensuring that all the necessary arrangements are made smoothly. They can also provide valuable insights on visa requirements, travel insurance, and local customs, helping travelers make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.

What does a Travel Agent do?

Travel agents possess extensive knowledge and expertise in the travel industry, including destinations, transportation options, accommodations, and activities. This expertise allows them to provide valuable advice and guidance to travelers, helping them make informed decisions and create well-planned itineraries that meet their specific needs and preferences. They also have access to a wide range of resources and tools that enable them to efficiently search for the best deals, discounts, and promotions available. They can often secure exclusive rates and packages, saving their clients both time and money.

Duties and Responsibilities Here are some common tasks and responsibilities associated with being a travel agent:

• Client Consultation: Travel agents engage in thorough consultations with clients to understand their travel preferences, requirements, and budget. They ask relevant questions to gather necessary information and provide personalized recommendations based on the client's needs.
• Itinerary Planning: Based on client preferences, travel agents create detailed travel itineraries that include destinations, transportation options, accommodations, and activities. They consider factors like travel dates, budget constraints, and any specific requests from clients.
• Reservation and Booking: Travel agents handle the booking process for flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel-related services. They ensure that all bookings are made accurately and efficiently, securing the best available rates and deals for their clients.
• Travel Documentation and Logistics: Travel agents assist clients in obtaining necessary travel documents such as passports, visas, and travel insurance. They provide guidance on the documentation process and ensure that clients have all the required paperwork in order. Agents also handle logistical aspects like seat assignments, baggage allowances, and transportation arrangements.
• Knowledge of Destinations: Travel agents possess extensive knowledge about various destinations, including popular attractions, local customs, weather conditions, and safety considerations. They provide valuable information and recommendations to clients, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about their travel plans.
• Customer Service: Travel agents offer exceptional customer service throughout the entire travel process. They address client inquiries, resolve any issues or concerns that may arise, and provide support during the trip. Agents act as a point of contact for emergencies and assist clients in making alternative arrangements if necessary.
• Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Trends: To provide the best service to clients, travel agents stay updated with the latest industry trends, travel regulations, and changes in travel technology. They attend industry conferences, participate in training programs, and conduct research to ensure their knowledge is current.
• Sales and Marketing: Some travel agents engage in sales and marketing activities to attract new clients and promote travel packages and services. They may participate in trade shows, develop promotional materials, and utilize online platforms to reach a wider audience.
• Financial Management: Travel agents handle financial transactions related to travel bookings, including processing payments, issuing refunds, and managing invoices. They maintain accurate records of financial transactions and ensure compliance with accounting procedures.
• Continuous Learning: Travel agents continuously enhance their skills and knowledge by staying updated on travel industry trends, new destinations, and emerging technologies. They actively seek opportunities for professional development to provide the best possible service to their clients.

Types of Travel Agents There are various types of travel agents, each specializing in different aspects of travel and catering to specific clientele. Here are some common types of travel agents and what they do:

• Leisure Travel Agents: Leisure travel agents focus on organizing vacations and leisure trips for individuals, families, or groups. They assist clients in planning and booking all aspects of their leisure travel, including flights, accommodations, tours, and activities. Leisure travel agents may specialize in specific types of travel, such as beach vacations, cruises, adventure travel, or luxury travel.
• Corporate Travel Agents: Corporate travel agents primarily cater to business travelers and companies. They handle the complex travel needs of corporate clients, including booking flights, arranging accommodations, managing itineraries, and coordinating travel logistics. Corporate travel agents are familiar with business travel policies, negotiated rates, and preferred vendors to ensure cost-effective and efficient travel arrangements for their clients.
• Group Travel Agents: Group travel agents specialize in organizing travel for large groups, such as family reunions, weddings, school trips, or corporate retreats. They handle group bookings for flights, accommodations, transportation, and activities, negotiating group rates and coordinating logistics to accommodate the specific needs and preferences of the group.
• Tour Operators: Tour operators design and operate pre-packaged tours and travel itineraries. They create comprehensive tour packages that include transportation, accommodations, guided tours, and activities. Tour operators often work with travel agents to sell their tour packages, providing them with a ready-made product to offer their clients.
• Destination Specialists: Destination specialists focus on specific regions, countries, or cities. They have in-depth knowledge of the destination's culture, attractions, local experiences, and logistical considerations. Destination specialists provide expert advice and create customized itineraries for travelers seeking in-depth exploration of a particular destination.
• Online Travel Agents (OTAs): Online travel agents operate through internet platforms and websites, offering a wide range of travel services. They allow customers to search, compare, and book flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel services online. Online travel agents may also provide customer support and assistance through online chat or call centers.
• Niche Travel Agents: Niche travel agents specialize in specific types of travel, catering to niche markets or specialized interests. Examples include adventure travel agents, luxury travel agents, honeymoon specialists, culinary travel agents, or eco-tourism experts. These agents have extensive knowledge and expertise in their niche area, curating unique experiences and tailored itineraries for clients with specific interests.

Are you suited to be a travel agent?

Travel agents have distinct personalities . They tend to be enterprising individuals, which means they’re adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic. They are dominant, persuasive, and motivational. Some of them are also conventional, meaning they’re conscientious and conservative.

Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if travel agent is one of your top career matches.

What is the workplace of a Travel Agent like?

The workplace of a travel agent can vary depending on their specific employment arrangement. Some travel agents work in traditional brick-and-mortar travel agencies, which may be part of a larger travel company or operate independently. In these settings, travel agents typically have a physical office space with workstations, computers, and travel industry resources such as brochures, destination guides, and reservation systems. They may have a reception area to welcome clients and conduct in-person consultations.

With the increasing prevalence of remote work and online booking platforms, many travel agents now have the flexibility to work from home or in virtual offices. They utilize technology, such as laptops, smartphones, and high-speed internet, to communicate with clients, access travel resources, and make online bookings. Virtual travel agents often communicate with clients via phone, email, or video conferencing, offering the convenience of remote consultations.

Travel agents also frequently visit destinations, attend industry conferences, and participate in familiarization trips organized by travel suppliers. These opportunities allow them to gain firsthand experience, build relationships with suppliers, and stay updated on the latest travel trends. While travel agents spend a significant amount of time working at their desks, they also have the chance to explore and experience the destinations they recommend to their clients.

In terms of work hours, travel agents may have a standard office schedule, working weekdays during regular business hours. However, they may also need to be flexible, accommodating clients in different time zones or assisting with emergency situations outside of regular office hours. The workload of travel agents can vary throughout the year, with peak periods during holiday seasons or when there are significant events or festivals happening in popular destinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pros and cons of being a travel agent.

Being a travel agent can be an exciting and rewarding career for individuals who are passionate about travel and enjoy helping others create memorable experiences. However, like any profession, there are pros and cons to consider.

• Travel Opportunities: One of the major advantages of being a travel agent is the exposure to diverse travel opportunities. Travel agents often have the chance to visit destinations, experience different cultures, and explore new places as part of their job. This firsthand experience not only enhances their knowledge but also allows them to provide valuable insights and recommendations to clients.
• Personal Satisfaction: For individuals who are passionate about travel and helping others, being a travel agent can be personally fulfilling. The ability to create personalized itineraries and witness the joy and excitement of clients as they embark on their dream trips can be highly rewarding.
• Knowledge and Expertise: Travel agents develop a deep understanding of destinations, travel products, and industry trends. They stay up-to-date with the latest information, including visa requirements, safety advisories, and emerging travel destinations. This expertise allows them to provide valuable advice and recommendations to clients, ensuring they have well-planned and memorable travel experiences.
• Building Relationships: Travel agents have the opportunity to build strong relationships with clients, travel suppliers, and industry professionals. They can establish a network of contacts that can enhance their business and open doors for collaboration and future opportunities.
• Industry Changes and Competition: The travel industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies, online booking platforms, and dynamic pricing models. Travel agents must stay updated with these changes and adapt their business practices accordingly. The rise of online travel agencies and self-booking options has increased competition, requiring travel agents to differentiate themselves and provide added value to their clients.
• Workload and Time Management: The travel industry can be demanding, especially during peak travel seasons. Travel agents may need to work long hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate client needs and handle emergencies. Proper time management skills are essential to balance the workload and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Pressure for Exceptional Customer Service: Travel agents are expected to deliver outstanding customer service consistently. They must handle client inquiries, resolve issues, and manage expectations throughout the travel process. This level of customer service can be challenging, particularly when dealing with unforeseen circumstances or dissatisfied clients.
• Commission-Based Income: While some travel agents receive a salary or hourly wage, others rely on commission-based income. This means their earnings are directly tied to the bookings they secure for clients. It can take time to build a client base and establish a steady income stream, especially in the early stages of a travel agent's career.

Travel Agents are also known as: Travel Consultant