BOSTON — TSA agents are gearing up for some big changes at airports like Logan Airport in Boston, where cancellations are already underway starting Friday.
“It’s kind of like a snowstorm’s coming and people will start to change their plans all at once, and so we’re going to likely experience a big rush of folks coming in over the weekend and then just general panic, people don’t know what to expect,” said Mike Gayzagian, president of the American Federation of Government Employees in New England.
Gayzagian represents the TSA’s union in New England.
Friday will be the first day airlines will have to reduce their number of flights by up to ten percent at dozens of airports because of staffing shortages.
[ Boston’s Logan Airport among 40 airports facing flight cuts due to government shutdown ]
“There’s a lot more anxiety; people are going to miss their second checks beginning tomorrow,” said Gayzagian.
Neither TSA agents nor air traffic controllers are getting paid during the government shutdown.
Gayzagian says some TSA agents in Boston are starting to resign.
“We anticipate a lot of people will have to make some hard choices as to whether or not they want to stay employed here, and that’s obviously going to have an impact on staffing levels and wait times, and long lines will probably start to form at some point,” said Gayzagian.
Fewer workers at the airport means longer lines for travelers on top of the many cancellations and delays expected.
“That’s a pretty big reduction, like even on the worst day of delays we’ve never reached 10 percent,” said Colin Scoggins, who was an air traffic controller in Boston for more than 30 years.
Scoggins says while this reduction in flights continues, his best advice for travelers is:
“If at all possible, fly direct that way you’re not stuck or abandoned in some other place, so if you get on your flight, great, and if you don’t you, just go back home and try to fly the next day or a later time period,” said Scoggins.
MASSPORT confirms they’re starting to see flight cancellations at Logan Airport for Friday, so if you are traveling this weekend, you’ll want to double-check with your airlines before coming out for your flight.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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