DALLAS – The partial government shutdown is starting to affect air travel.
Over the weekend, some airports had long lines at checkpoints, apparently caused by a rising number of security officers calling in sick as they face the prospect of missing their first paycheck this week.
Safety inspectors aren’t even on the job. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Monday that inspectors are being called back to work on a case-by-case basis, with a priority put on inspecting airline fleets.
So far, the most visible signs of the shutdown – in its 18th day Tuesday – include the closure of some government buildings and national parks and trash overflowing bins on the National Mall in front of the Capitol.
By increasingly affecting air travel, however, the pain will be felt more widely.