Cargo disruptions possible if worker shortages hit air freight and customs processing
Since October 6, thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed due to the emerging worker shortage. About 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are being asked to continue reporting to work without pay, many of whom are misusing sick leave to refuse unpaid work despite being deemed essential.
During the first week of the shutdown, staffing shortages and flight delays were reported at airports in Dallas, Newark, Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Though the average delay time only totaled 40-60 minutes and did not significantly disrupt either passenger or cargo operations at major airports, some regional U.S. airports reported more severe operational issues. Such was the case at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California on October 6 when the airport was left without on-site air traffic controllers for nearly six hours, and on October 7 when Nashville International Airport announced a reduction of normal operating flight volumes for the foreseeable future. New certifications for aircrafts and pilots are frozen, raising concerns of further air capacity strains in the event of a prolonged shutdown.
Unpredictable processing times may impact perishable goods
Customs processing also remains vulnerable to heightened disruption should the shutdown continue to mandate unpaid work. Of the impacted TSA agents, many are responsible for screening cargo bound for passenger belly or freight only flights. Notably, airports in Memphis, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky have reported that their cargo-focused TSA agents have been sent to work without pay, marking a vulnerability to staffing shortages should workers decide to refuse work. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed on October 1 that the agency remains operational for cargo movement, with all ports of entry being adequately staffed and only non-essential functions suspended. However, thousands of support staff are furloughed, delaying inspections and increasing customs clearance times. Importers of perishable goods like food products and pharmaceuticals are most at risk given the time-sensitive nature of the cargo and the unpredictable processing times. On October 9, delays of up to six hours were reported at the Ciudad Juárez-El Paso border crossings between the U.S. and Mexico, critical for U.S. agricultural imports of tomatoes, avocados, and berries from Mexico. At the time of reporting, delays have not been reported at U.S.-Canada border checkpoints, though bottlenecks at all U.S. points of entry are likely if the shutdown continues.
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