# Airports and the government shutdown **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296 "2019-01-06T14:33:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/1 "2019-01-06T14:33:53Z")
I’ll be flying from Montreal to Florida in a couple of days. Can any US folks with airport familiarity tell me if I should expect any disruptions or hiccups at the destination as a result of the shutdown? Thank-you very much ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/2 "2019-01-06T14:37:17Z")
Flying in, very unlikely. Flying out, there’s potential for slowdowns due to some TSA security screeners calling in sick — but so far that has been isolated to a handful of airports and has yet to be a nationwide issue. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/3 "2019-01-06T14:43:57Z")
Hey Ravenman, thank you so much for the response. So I should show up for my return trip earlier than normal. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/4 "2019-01-06T14:56:20Z")
How soon? I don’t think any major labor disruptions will occur until after the January 11th paychecks don’t show up. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/5 "2019-01-06T15:15:48Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > How soon? I don’t think any major labor disruptions will occur until after the January 11th paychecks don’t show up. Arriving Florida 9 Jan and departing 12 Jan. Btw, to all the folks affected by this, I’m so sorry that you’re stuck with this. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/6 "2019-01-06T15:35:43Z")
That’s very kind of you. But as an American I feel we should be apologizing to you. Really, having the US as a neighbor/partner these last 10 years or so much be very trying. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/7 "2019-01-06T16:50:03Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > That’s very kind of you. But as an American I feel we should be apologizing to you. > > Really, having the US as a neighbor/partner these last 10 years or so much be very trying. Much appreciated though, at the risk of hijacking my own thread (but you are a mod), I would say that we Cdns generally loved Obama. The current admin is definitely concerning; though it’s one thing to ignore and/or take for granted the post-WW2 western order, it seems that he wants to actively dismantle it. And, as an amateur history buff, I sometimes fear that someone will tell him about manifest destiny. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/8 "2019-01-06T17:59:46Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Flying in, very unlikely. Flying out, there’s potential for slowdowns due to some TSA security screeners calling in sick — but so far that has been isolated to a handful of airports and has yet to be a nationwide issue. I’ve seen articles on TSA having “blue flu” (Their shirts are blue & they’re not coming in because they’re not getting paid. These folks don’t make much above minimum wage & transit to work & childcare costs while at work & not getting paid are a real burden for some of them.) Have you seen anything on whether it’s affecting Customs agents that the OP will need to deal with upon arrival? ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/9 "2019-01-06T18:10:28Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Have you seen anything on whether it’s affecting Customs agents that the OP will need to deal with upon arrival? Actually, on departure. [Trudeau International Airport has CBP pre-clearance](https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/operations/preclearance). ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/10 "2019-01-06T18:33:33Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > Actually, on departure. [Trudeau International Airport has CBP pre-clearance](https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/operations/preclearance). I’m not sure about Montreal, but the Greater Toronto Airports Authority is advising early arrival at Pearson due to delays getting through pre-clearance. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/11 "2019-01-06T19:31:56Z")
In addition to the excellent comments raised thus far, you might want to do something distasteful while you’re here: Watch the news about our political soap opera so as to keep a bit informed. I’m sure the TSA issues may change during your stay (good, bad, indifferent) that could impact your return home. And whatever normal advance time the airline says you should be at the airport (because you are flying internationally), arrive 30-60 minutes earlier than the minimum time the airlines state. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/12 "2019-01-06T20:18:14Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Watch the news about our political soap opera so as to keep a bit informed. I’m sure the TSA issues may change during your stay (good, bad, indifferent) that could impact your return home. And whatever normal advance time the airline says you should be at the airport (because you are flying internationally), arrive 30-60 minutes earlier than the minimum time the airlines state. +1 to all of this. Local news will cover any disruptions to your airport, if they occur. A number of airports also provide estimates of how long the security lines are. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/13 "2019-01-06T21:37:01Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > Actually, on departure. [Trudeau International Airport has CBP pre-clearance](https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/operations/preclearance). Good point; I was thinking about that as well. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/14 "2019-01-06T22:23:45Z")
But they’re paid / not paid by the US Govt, so couldn’t there be cases of “blue flu” in Montreal too? Resulting in slow-downs in Montreal for US flights? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/15 "2019-01-07T00:00:07Z")
I imagine there will be. This could last for months. Or until 20/1/2021. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/16 "2019-01-07T01:51:39Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > But they’re paid / not paid by the US Govt, so couldn’t there be cases of “blue flu” in Montreal too? Resulting in slow-downs in Montreal for US flights? Immigration and Customs are US, security is CATSA not TSA. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/17 "2019-01-07T02:13:19Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I imagine there will be. This could last for months. Or until 20/1/2021. … and what is it that happens on the first of Icosimber? ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/18 "2019-01-07T03:38:08Z")
I’d suggest you keep an eye on delay status for customs & immigration clearance at your Canadian airport. The US immigration & customs agents that do the clearance in Canada are USA employees, paid by the USA government. They may be affected by either the shutdown or not getting paid and may develop “blue-flu”. I had this happen a few years ago, there were massive (+3 hour) line-ups at Pearson because the agents were having some dispute with the US government and were calling in sick. I was flying to Chicago on business and there were maybe 5 agents for the entire airport and all the flights that day. The good news was the airlines knew this was happening and delayed all the flights, so we didn’t miss ours, but still a pain. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/19 "2019-01-07T06:25:17Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > But they’re paid / not paid by the US Govt, so couldn’t there be cases of “blue flu” in Montreal too? Resulting in slow-downs in Montreal for US flights? Yes, but the lack of pay will still be theoretical, so I’m not sure how likely it is at that point. There hasn’t (AFAIK) yet been a payday for time worked during the shutdown. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296/20 "2019-01-07T08:55:41Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I imagine there will be. This could last for months. Or until 20/1/2021. > [@Ravenman](#): > > … and what is it that happens on the first of Icosimber? It’s when we’ll be getting a new US president. Or the Second US Civil War breaks out because Trump tries to become president-for-life like the third-world dictator he’d like to be. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airports-and-the-government-shutdown/827296.md?page=2)