I’m Flying During the Government Shutdown (And Feeling It)
I’m traveling during the government shutdown (tomorrow!), and I have feelings about it.
As a frequent traveler, the whole airport process – getting to the airport, finding parking, standing in line to check a bag (if applicable), and going through security screening (my least favorite part of travel) – are things I can usually do without thinking. But this trip feels different.
San Antonio to Fiji
I’m flying from San Antonio (SAT) to Nadi, Fiji, connecting in Dallas. I’m going for a tourism conference that’s been on my calendar for more than six months. I’ve thought about postponing or canceling but have decided to move forward. My bag is packed but I’m playing this one hour by hour.
SAT isn’t one of the airports reporting long waits to get through security, which is part of my reasoning. That said, we’re in a partial government shutdown, and TSA agents aren’t getting a paycheck right now. Even if things are running smoothly here, that’s in the back of my mind.
So Many Unknowns
My airport isn’t reporting current conditions the way some larger airports are. I’ve checked their Instagram and website, and both are pretty quiet about how the shutdown might impact travelers here.
The lack of information is part of what’s making me uneasy. I don’t know what I’m walking into, and that’s not something I’m used to when I travel.
I Have TSA PreCheck and CLEAR
I have both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, two paid programs designed to get me through security faster. In theory, this should make things easier. Most of the time, it does.
CLEAR gets me to the front of the TSA PreCheck line, so I’ll make a game-time decision based on which line looks shorter.
I also have Global Entry, which helps when returning to the United States, but I’m not thinking about that right now. That’s next week’s problem.
I’m Not Checking a Bag
Everything is going in the cabin with me. That’s one less line, one less variable, and one less thing that could go sideways. It’s a little thing I can control and that makes me feel better.
What’s Different About This Trip
I’m stressed. I’m stressed about missing my flight. If I do, I have a very small chance of making my connection in Dallas. If I miss that, my arrival in Fiji is delayed by at least a day.
I’m stressed about longer lines than I’m used to and having my weird bladder flip out at the worst possible time.
I’m also aware that airports feel more tense right now. There’s a lot of uncertainty, and when people are stressed, crowds can get unpredictable. I don’t know what that will look like in practice, but it’s something I’m thinking about as I head into this trip.
Then there are the usual things I worry about when I travel, a long list of mildly obsessive thoughts ranging from forgetting something basic (like underwear) to one of my kids getting sick or hurt while I’m on the other side of the planet. I’m an anxious traveler for a lot of reasons. Right now, the anxiety is the trip.
A New Layer of Anxiety
A new addition to all of this is the feeling of being judged for traveling at all. I’ve seen plenty of social media posts suggesting people should just stay home right now.
While the shutdown is making travel more complicated, the idea that everyone should simply stop traveling doesn’t feel realistic or necessary.
I’m not asking for advice on whether I should go. I’m going unless something changes in the next 24 hours. I know people will have opinions, and that’s fine.
I’m sharing a timestamp of what travel looks like for me right now. Stay tuned.
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