Reuters
David Shepardson and Jeff Mason
31 October 2025
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday warned of a potential holiday meltdown if a government shutdown stretches into the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel season and urged Democrats to provide the votes to reopen the government.
Vance said after a White House meeting with the CEOs of American Airlines (AAL.O), opens new tab and United Airlines (UAL.O), opens new tab, unions and other aviation industry officials that a shutdown into late November could lead to more employee absences and much longer security lines and flight delays.
The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers to work without pay, the sources added.
Airlines have repeatedly urged an end to the shutdown, citing aviation safety risks.
The meeting comes as the shutdown exacerbates pre-existing staffing shortages. This has led to a spike in unscheduled absences, threatening to cause widespread disruptions similar to those that helped end a 35-day government shutdown in 2019.
Vance warns of US aviation 'disaster' if shutdown does not end | Reuters | 31 Oct 2025
