FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Traveler Dan Carter said recently, his flight was delayed twelve hours.
“I was ready to go through the glass to get somebody. And I don’t usually lose my temper, but it was so frustrating,” Carter said.
It’s something thousands of travelers have dealt with since the federal government shut down earlier this month.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said nearly half of delays Sunday, and nearly a quarter on Monday were due to staffing shortages.
“They have families. Who, you know, my heart goes out to them,” traveler Donise Carter said. “If you’re going to stop the pay, then figure out a way to feed their families.”
Both air traffic controllers and TSA agents, both critical to keeping travelers safe, are working without a paycheck.
To compensate, many are already working second job.
Although officials at Fresno’s airport said they have not heard of their employees picking up additional work, some have had to take steps to defer their mortgages and seek additional financial assistance.
“When we walk in those doors, the job that we do every day is stressful enough. And now we have an avoidable stress in our personal lives,” air traffic controller Jerry O’Gorman said. “We have to worry about what we’re going to do, are we going to pay our mortgage? Are we going to have our kids miss things?”
Travelers say they sympathize with unpaid workers but they also worry about their own safety.
“If the people are not, in their position, working in the correct timing, in the correct location, or in the correct stations, there must be some problems around,” traveler Hector Diaz said.
Fresno-Yosemite International officials say they have not had more employees call out sick since the shutdown started.
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