See how Central Coast airports are being impacted by the government shutdown
Dave Alley
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Central Coast airports are continuing to operate as normal during the ongoing government shutdown despite impacts now beginning to happen at other airports across the country.
On Monday, the Hollywood Burbank Airport operated without air traffic controllers for several hours due to a shortage of workers.
The Southern California airport joins a growing list of U.S. airports that are experiencing a shortage of federal workers.
According to CNN, personnel shortages at other airports such as Chicago, Washington DC, Phoenix, Denver, Newark, New Jersey, Jacksonville, Florida, and Indianapolis have been so short-staffed, it has caused some travel disruptions.
Meanwhile, on the Central Coast, all three commercial airports are reporting their air service has been business as usual.
“As of right now, everything is remaining open,” said Joe Goble, San Luis Obispo County Airport (SBP) Public Information Specialist. “Operations are functioning as normal. TSA is working right now and will remain open and our air traffic control will also remain open as well.”
Management at both Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) and Santa Maria Airport (SMX) said Tuesday they are also continuing to operate as normal and have not experienced any disruptions to air service.
Since Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers are considered essential workers, they are required to work through government shutdown without pay.
ABC News reports an estimated 13,294 controllers will continue to work without pay during the shutdown.
For Central Coast passengers traveling on Tuesday, they were relieved the three local airports are remaining open and have yet to feel any direct impacts caused by the shutdown.
“100% yes, we appreciate it,” said Jared Tartaglia of Atascadero, who flew into SBP from South Carolina on Tuesday. “It made things so much easier. It is definitely good to travel at the moment.”
With the shutdown remaining in place with no known end date, SBP is advising air travelers to check with the their airlines for up-to-the-minute flight information.
“SBP is continuing to monitor the situation and transparency is really key for us,” said Goble. “Any updates that we receive or that we know about, we will forward to the public and they will make sure that that’s known about before travel ensues.”
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