The U.S. government entered a partial shutdown from January 31, 2026 until February 3, as the Congress failed to pass all the necessary bills before the deadline. Another shutdown raised concerns about recurring government closures under the Trump Administration after a 43-day long shutdown happened in November, 2025.
What does government shutdown do, and how does it impact us?
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass legislation funding federal agencies and programs. The government will then lack the authorized funding that is required to operate.
The United States Capitol
Source: John Hancock Retirement
If the government shuts down, some agencies will not be able to operate with insufficient funds, meaning many employees will be furloughed, while essential workers must continue working without pay. The government shutdown impacts us in many ways: one example can be seen from the government shutdown that happened last November.
Due to the government shutdown last November, the air traffic controllers around the United States were required to work without pay. Already short of 3,600 controllers according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), many air traffic controllers reported staffing shortages, which caused the FAA to reduce the flight volume of busy airports by almost 10 percent to ensure their safety. This led to either a long delay or cancellation of many flights in the United States.
In the case of Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank, California, the FAA issued a ground delay from 4 p.m. to 9:59 p.m. on October 6, 2025, as there were 0 air traffic controllers working during that time. Even though some aircraft were able to take off, it also caused around 42 total delays, as the pilots had to follow the “non-towered” take-off procedures that required them to coordinate their movement with nearby aircraft themselves. Also, many travelers had to reroute their flights out to the neighboring airports like LAX.
Hollywood Burbank Airport
Source: LA Times
From an interview on MSNBC with an air traffic controller at Joint Base Andrews, Jack Criss says that many federal employees have been forced to take second jobs to support their families for their essential needs. He has started delivering DoorDash in order to make up for the financial burden that the government shutdown imposed on him.
“I have to do what I have to do to provide for my child. I don’t want my air traffic controllers to take a second job,” Criss said. "I want them to do one job. I don’t want them delivering for DoorDash; I don’t want them driving Uber. I want them to come to their facilities and control the airspace,” expressing his worries and burdens that the ongoing shutdown is affecting them.
Air traffic controllers were not the only federal workers affected. TSA agents, who perform security checks nationwide, were also affected due to the shutdown, causing many of the workers to temporarily stop coming to their work. This led to the longer line for the security check in the commercial airports around the United States as well. During the shutdown, TSA has posted on its X (formerly Twitter) that “while TSA is prepared to continue screening about 2.5 million passengers a day, an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at the airports.”
Ceasing government-related travels and closing national parks and attractions, the shutdown also suppressed travel demand, decreasing the visitor spending and imposing downstream costs on airlines, hotels, restaurants, and many small businesses. According to an analysis of U.S. Travel Association, the government shutdown that happened from October 1 through November 12, 2026 caused $6.1 billion in total economic losses across the travelling and related industries. They also noted that the U.S. saw 88,000 fewer trips per day, showing how significantly the shutdown impacted the economy.
The government shutdowns are more than a political dispute; they are the events that can be disruptive and cause consequences to the public. These shutdowns disrupt essential services and can compromise aviation safety. As shown by the previous example in November, a lack of funding caused delays and cancellation, increasing the safety concerns. Not only that, an unfair amount of burden was given to the air traffic controllers and TSA agents as they were required to work without pay. As the Burbank tower closure and billions in economic losses demonstrate, a government shutdown is not just a stop in paperworks, but a significant disruption that affects all the safety, stability, and financial status of the entire country.
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