The U.S. government shutdown has thrown the nation’s aviation system into disarray, leaving tens of thousands of staff unpaid and triggering widespread flight delays that have raised serious safety concerns.
After 40 days of deadlock, the U.S. Senate was edging towards a bipartisan deal late on Sunday which would fund the government through January, according to U.S. media reports, which would bring an end to the longest federal shutdown in recent history.
The shutdown, which began on October 1 due to congressional gridlock over funding, has left federal workers without pay and disrupted essential services for millions of Americans.
In aviation, the impact has been acute as roughly 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 airport security screeners have been working without pay. As more employees take leave, staffing shortages are worsening, causing cascading delays and heightening risks across the civil aviation sector.
"When I left the U.S., it was delayed for five hours because they couldn't find a pilot. So that affected my flight," said Sophie Allen, a passenger
"We were on the way into JFK (John F. Kennedy International Airport). We had nearly a two-hour delay through passport immigration. So it seemed to be very understaffed. The queues are a mile long, up and down the terminal. And there were people actually fainting," said Connor Lotte, a passenger stranded at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
"The number of flights or air traffic volume that could be impacted could go up in the days to come if the shutdown is not resolved. So be prepared for that if you're going to be traveling over the next few days or weeks," said Josh Lewis, another passenger.
Ana Lucia Hume, Air Controller at Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Miami International Airport, said this is an urgent issue that needs to be resolved, as pilots' mental health has already been affected.
"This shutdown is significantly affecting the air traffic controllers. If you think about it, have you ever seen the air traffic patterns? They're conducting numerous, numerous patterns for airlines not to crash or airplanes not to crash with each other. And if they are working without pay, that's added stress. So not only do they have the most stressful jobs, and they already suffer from mental health, but now it's going to be at a rise. So this needs to get fixed, and it needs to get fixed now," she said.
Experts warn that if the shutdown was to continue, airlines could face serious operational disruptions, and the strain on unpaid staff may compromise flight safety ahead of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday season.
Federal gov't shutdown disrupts travel, raises flight safety concerns
The three astronauts of China's Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceflight mission returned safely to Earth on Friday after completing their planned tasks aboard the Tiangong space station.
The return capsule of the Shenzhou-22 spaceship, carrying Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 20:11 Beijing Time (1211 GMT), according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The returned astronauts were reported to be in good physical condition after landing, according to staff on site.
Zhang Lu was the first to exit the return capsule after it touched down on Earth.
"I'm thrilled to once again return to the embrace of our motherland. The Shenzhou-21 crew's seven-month stay in orbit would not have been possible without the care of our families and comrades, the support of leaders at all levels and all colleagues involved in the project, and above all, the backing of our country and our people. One sentence sums up my thoughts on my second space mission: 'It takes a whole team's devotion to make one person's voyage into the sea of stars,' " Zhang said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) shortly after he was carried out of the return capsule.
"I also have a gift to share with everyone. On the day of the Shenzhou-21 launch, the ground support team gave us an apple, wishing us a safe and smooth mission. Our safe return is their greatest wish. Tomorrow is May 30, the National Science and Technology Workers' Day. So when we left the space station, we specifically brought back an apple. We want to give it to all science and technology workers, and say 'thank you for your hard work'. At the same time, I wish our space industry continued prosperity, and every mission safe and smooth," he said.
"Returning to Earth and to the embrace of our motherland, I feel extremely secure and proud. Being entrusted with such a significant responsibility in my first space mission is a great honor. It is the trust of my country, the guidance of my predecessors, and the teamwork of the entire crew that enabled me to successfully complete the mission. This mission has taught me that the most beautiful posture of youth is to march out for the country. I will turn this space experience into the driving force for my continued progress, and continue to fight and strive for the manned space program," said crew member Wu Fei.
"From the ground laboratory to China's space station, it is our great motherland that has enabled me to achieve a perfect integration of my scientific ideals and spaceflight dreams. With the support of the entire project team, the assistance of researchers and scientists, and the care of so many people, our crew has worked as one and successfully completed all assigned scientific projects, including the first successful in-orbit breeding of small mammals, the growing of a thriving space vegetable garden with an even wider varieties, and the collection of valuable data from projects such as in-situ electrochemical and optical studies on lithium-ion batteries," said Zhang Hongzhang, who was the last of the astronauts to exit the spacecraft.
"Looking at Earth from space, I deeply felt that humanity is an indivisible community with a shared future. Now that I am back on Earth and have returned to my motherland, I feel an immense sense of security and warmth. Going forward, I will continue to build on these achievements and contribute to making China a strong power in space, science and technology," he said.
The returned crew members will now head to Beijing by plane and enter a quarantined recovery period, during which they will undergo comprehensive medical examinations and health assessments and start their recuperation process.
Prior to their return, the astronauts completed all planned tasks and handed over the space station to their three colleagues of the Shenzhou-23 mission who boarded the space station on May 25.
The crew's planned stay in-orbit was extended by approximately one month to further verify the technologies regarding the long-term stay of astronauts in orbit and fully use the supplies delivered by the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in an emergency launch.
The Shenzhou-21 crew's original spaceship, which sent them into space on Oct 31 last year, was previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft's return capsule. That spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.
Shenzhou-21 crew return to Earth after successful seven-month mission in space
