Air Traffic Controllers being Furloughed

[Twickenham]

As a side note - Now they're talking about charging Canadians a fee to cross the border (at land crossings) - obviously, to try to get some money to pay Border Agents. Grrr!!

 

Seriously?!?!

Yeah, I bet the tourist industry is REALLY going to love that one...

[toberman]

Seriously?!?!

 

Yeah, I bet the tourist industry is REALLY going to love that one...

 

Yep.. Seriously - all the Governors from boarding States are fighting it. It's only in it's infancy right now - but is being looked at. At airports right now we do pay a fee (minimal), so they're looking at the same fee for land crossings.

[toberman]

Seriously?!?!

 

Yeah, I bet the tourist industry is REALLY going to love that one...

 

Probably go down like the new (now old) law in Florida requiring Cdns to have an International Drivers License. DUH !! Didn't last long.

[toberman]

Just watched the most unbelievable story on NBC - someone?? is suggesting that Congress pass a law forcing Air Traffic Controllers to "go back to work". Who layed them off in the first place??? And what... do they work for free?? WOW... I'm amazed!!

[CruiserBruce]

Just watched the most unbelievable story on NBC - someone?? is suggesting that Congress pass a law forcing Air Traffic Controllers to "go back to work". Who layed them off in the first place??? And what... do they work for free?? WOW... I'm amazed!!

 

Ahhh, nobody has been laid off. A furlough is a reduction in work hours, not a termination.

[PennyAgain]

We are adding 90 minutes to all of our flight bookings that have a connection (so that's 90 minutes + the original time for the connection) and I'm beginning to think it isn't enough padding.

 

Call, write, email your Congress people and tell them to stop fiddling around as this is going to have a negative affect on our entire economy.

 

Oh and by the way, most trip interruption/trip cancellation travel insurace won't cover missed flights and missed ships due to this situation so the passengers are screwed for the losses.

 

We are in for a very rough time.

[frugaltravel]

Oh and by the way, most trip interruption/trip cancellation travel insurace won't cover missed flights and missed ships due to this situation so the passengers are screwed for the losses.

 

I am not sure I would make such a blanket statement like that. There are so many types of travel insurance policies. I know my policy will cover missed connections in this situation and it is not a super sophisticated policy.

[SnowshoeCat]

Unfortunately, the anger and frustration will be taken out on the wrong people - those who are losing 20% of their salary, and still expected to follow all the rules and regulations imposed on them and process the same amount of material or traffic etc. with less manpower.

People get pi$$d at the point of contact personnel, but don't bother to vote - or don't get informed as to the root causes, and vote intelligently.

My sympathy's (obviously) are for the professionals who are trying to keep things rolling.

As a side note - Now they're talking about charging Canadians a fee to cross the border (at land crossings) - obviously, to try to get some money to pay Border Agents. Grrr!!

 

BTW - snowshoecat - give us an update.

 

Here I am - enjoying my furlough day ;)

 

So far about 600 flights have been cancelled, 10,000 delayed, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Assn (NATCA - our union). The airlines and pilots assns have filed suit to get the controllers back to work.

 

Not much to say, really. Personally, I was hoping to take a quick trip next week for a family gathering, but I'm not going to risk it. Again, personally, I don't mind the extra day off. I can afford it for now, and I think spring is almost here! But as greatam pointed out, this is affecting many people and businesses.

 

Anything else I might say could be construed as "political" so I'll just leave it there. Thanks for asking!

[greatam]

I am not sure I would make such a blanket statement like that. There are so many types of travel insurance policies. I know my policy will cover missed connections in this situation and it is not a super sophisticated policy.

 

Please let us know what policy that is. Almost all of them now have a 3+ hour at the minimum delay provision and quite a few popular policies require 5 hour delay. And that won't cover what is going on now as most flights are not delayed 3 hours. Yesterday at JFK, our trucks waited an average of 45 minutes-1 hour before the plane took off and they could leave.

[Gunner22aa]

"Now if we had a Parliament things might get done"

 

Speaking from a country that has one, yes it seems to work... sometimes. The government of the day can get their agenda through if they have a Majority in the House of Commons and the Senate. I've been through many a minority government in Canada and it too can be ugly. With a minority government it can take years to pass legislation because the government requires the support of at least one other party to have sufficient votes to send a bill to our Senate. That means a lot of butt kissing. Don't get me going on the absolute uselessness of our Senate which by the way people are appointed to as opposed to elected. Some of our Senators have zero credentials for the job (ones claim to fame is that he was a mixed martial arts fighter!) which they get to keep until age 75 if they wish and then retire on a pension that any normal citizen could only dream of.

[FlyerTalker]

Now if we had a Parliament things might get done. :)

May I present two words to rebut that concept -- Italian Government.

[monicajay]

I am not sure I would make such a blanket statement like that. There are so many types of travel insurance policies. I know my policy will cover missed connections in this situation and it is not a super sophisticated policy.

 

 

Since insurance companies make it their business to look for ways to not pay claims, I would think they'd find some loophole in the policy to not cover missed connections when there are special circumstances such as these. Until you make a claim, you never really know if you will be covered.

[toberman]

There are so many types of travel insurance policies. I know my policy will cover missed connections in this situation and it is not a super sophisticated policy.

 

Please let us know what policy that is.

 

I would like to know the name of the insurance co as well... here's a quote from the co I normally buy from -

 

This insurance does not cover any loss, claim or expense of any kind caused directly or indirectly by:

 

a) Any anticipated event, occurrence, circumstance, or

medical condition, which you were aware of on or before your effective date, and which you knew might be cause for cancellation, interruption or delay of your trip.

 

 

Seems like most of us know about the possiblility of delays, or missed conncections. I'm quite sure the insurance co's have this covered really well.:mad:

[cruising cockroach]

Probably go down like the new (now old) law in Florida requiring Cdns to have an International Drivers License. DUH !! Didn't last long.

 

That law was technically unlawful from the get-go because it violated international treaties which the U.S. is party to (so that negates state laws). Not that I want to argue that with ignorant LEOs (so I won't go to many U.S. states).

[CruiserBruce]

Not that I want to argue that with ignorant LEOs (so I won't go to many U.S. states).

 

Seriously???

[slidergirl]

The Senate just tonight approved a bill that will let the FAA shift funds to end the furlough. The House will take it up, but if they don't get it done by 5pm tomorrow, it'll have to wait until they come back from their weeklong vacation.

 

So, it looks like there is some movement going on.