Despite the conclusion of the government shutdown and President Trump’s recall on flight cuts Monday morning, John Brown University students may still be apprehensive about their travel plans for Thanksgiving break. 40 major airlines were experiencing major cuts and flight delays during the government shutdown. International students and those traveling across the country for Thanksgiving break were apprehensive about how the increasing cuts and cost of tickets were going to affect travel plans.
Junior Intercultural Studies major, Ian Contreras said, “Yes, the cost of tickets is scary because I have to fly across the country, and usually flights are expensive in general, but now with everything going on, the prices might prevent me from going home.”
For the first time in nearly seven years, the American government shut down. The shutdown was the longest in American history, 43 days long, and was caused by a disagreement over a spending plan. It began on Oct. 1 and came to an end on Nov. 13; however, flights were still experiencing delays and cuts.
During the shutdown, air traffic control services were expected to continue without pay, and as time passed, it became unreasonable for the workers. Due to the lack of pay, some air traffic control officers had stopped showing up to work and had taken second jobs. Lack of safety caused flight cuts until safety improved. Although the cuts have been lifted, disruptions and price changes are expected to be affected.
Although the shutdown caused some students to be concerned regarding their travel plans, there are others who are just now hearing about it. Freshman Arianna Nuñez Rodríguez said, “Regarding the government shutdown, I didn't really know that it was going on until a few days ago; a friend told me that a lot of people couldn't access many things, including food pantries. I've never been through a government shutdown in my life. It’s a very interesting experience.”
Regarding her travel plans, Nuñez said, “I don't think the shutdown has affected my travel, as far as I know.”
Sophomore student Lance Castagne-Clermont shared a similar experience regarding his Christmas break plans. He said, “My travel plans to return home in December have been booked months in advance, so not much thought there either.”
Not considering whether the tickets were already purchased, the flight cancellations have some students concerned. Major airlines are trying to be flexible for their customers and minimize disruptions; however, the unreliability of the disruptions and flight cancellations has some students considering travel insurance.
Freshman History major, Liberty Godwin, had to change flights due to the cost of tickets. She said, “I did not change airports because of the shutdown; I changed it because it was 300 dollars more to fly out of XNA than it was to fly out of Little Rock. However, I did have an absolute panic because the flights I did buy were not insured, and I was afraid of them getting cancelled, so I tried to buy flight insurance and couldn’t find any. Needless to say, I was freaking out because I thought I wouldn’t be able to go home, and I wouldn’t get my money back!”
As the shutdown has ended, days will begin to show if flights can become more dependable. Travel insurance, alternative forms of travel and the cost of tickets are viable considerations, especially for young college students. After Thanksgiving break, the longer Christmas break will become the main concern for students traveling long distances for the holidays.
Photo Courtesy of Ahmed Muntasir in Pexels
