U.S. Vice President JD Vance will meet with aviation industry leaders at the White House on Thursday to discuss the impact of the ongoing government shutdown, which has entered its fourth week and strained the nation’s air travel system.
- Attendees include United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu.
- The roundtable aims to address increasing delays and staffing issues, with more than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA agents currently working without pay.
- Duffy has warned that flight disruptions will likely worsen as missed paychecks lead to higher absenteeism among aviation staff.
- Senate Democrats continue to block a GOP-backed short-term funding bill, demanding renewal of expiring Obamacare subsidies first.
- Airports nationwide are reporting higher rates of delays linked to staffing shortages, though overall on-time departure rates remain within normal ranges, according to Cirium data.
- The 2019 government shutdown ended following major air travel disruptions — a precedent some analysts believe could repeat if the impasse continues.
Relevant Companies
- United Airlines Holdings ($UAL) – CEO Scott Kirby will attend the roundtable to discuss operational challenges from the shutdown.
- American Airlines Group ($AAL) – CEO Robert Isom’s participation underscores the shutdown’s impact on flight operations and labor costs.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. This article may be updated as more details become available.
