Less than 24 hours after a House vote re-opened the government, there’s a sense of cautious relief at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
The TSA lines Thursday were noticeably shorter compared to the previous weekend, when winter storms added to the mess of delays and cancellations.
“I was pleased that I’m not going to be sleeping in the airport,” said James Adamson of Evanston, who is flying to Houston for a wedding.
Adamson’s wife Anne said she was also very nervous about their travel plans.
“I thought we might have to spend the day trying to find a flight. But seems to be okay,” she said.
Airport staffing however, particularly amongst air traffic controllers, is still a problem. The industry was already short more than 3,000 air traffic controllers before the longest government shutdown in history.
“I did have some concerns about safety, but you don’t really have a choice,” Conrad Taylor told NBC Chicago. He’s a musician flying from Chicago to New York for a tour. Driving wasn’t an option, he said.
But for travelers who do have the choice, the holiday outlook is mixed, according to AAA.
“Because there was some uncertainty about getting your flight out of Thanksgiving some people may decide to drive instead,” Molly Hart with AAA told NBC Chicago.
Hart also notes that people might also opt to snag last minute open seats on flights.
Flight reductions will remain at 6% at the nation’s busiest airports for safety, including O’Hare. Reductions were poised to climb to 10% Friday if the shutdown continued.
“There has been a rapid decline in controller callouts, with only eleven staffing triggers on Tuesday, November 11 and four staffing triggers today from a high of 81 on November 8. Such strong staffing levels suggest a further ramp up in-flight reductions are not necessary to keep the traveling public safe,” the Department of Transportation said in a release.
Major airlines are applauding the government’s re-opening but still waiting on the FAA’s approval to fully resume normal flight operations.
In Houston Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem handed out $10,000 bonus checks to TSA agents who showed quote “exemplary service” during the shutdown.
Both TSA agents and air traffic controllers, some working 6-day weeks, were reporting to work without pay during the shutdown.
“We’re grateful for their example, what they mean to America, the fact that they show up even on a bad day,” Noem said.
The money for the bonuses came from carry over funds from 2025, according to an internal memo.
Air Traffic Controllers expected to get 70% of their backpay within the next 48 hours and the remaining 30% within the next week.
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