PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Travelers across the country are facing long waits and mounting frustration as the ripple effects of the ongoing government shutdown continue to hit the nation’s travel system.
“It was pretty bad, we had a couple of kids bouncing off the walls,” said Jeremiah Bodner, from Marlton, New Jersey.
Bodner said his family was stranded at Orlando International Airport for about four hours Saturday before finally boarding their flight and touching down in Philadelphia.
“We got like maybe four delay updates, like 30 minutes, another hour, another hour,” said Stephanie Bodner, of Marlton, New Jersey.
All of this comes as the shutdown continues to strain federal operations. U.S. airlines canceled more than 1,500 flights today, many due to the FAA’s order to reduce air traffic to relieve pressure on the system. Air traffic controllers and TSA agents are working without pay, and more of them are calling out sick.
Joshua Lin from Orlando, was among those caught up in the chaos, describing long waits and a lack of staff to help.
“When I showed up to the airport there was maybe one or two people running the check-in desk,” said Lin.
He said the problems didn’t end there, baggage claim took about half an hour, and the security line was crawling.
“What usually is like a five or ten minute wait in security ended up being closer to 45 minutes,” said Lin.
The transportation uncertainty has become so severe that some travelers are ditching planes altogether and turning to buses and trains.
“I had a conference that was planned in Boston for this week, and given the government shutdown, I just decided that it was a lot easier to take the train,” said Kate Hermans, of Ardmore.
While many others are opting to drive, Hermans says that wasn’t worth the risk either.
“If there were going to be issues with the airplanes, then people would start to turn to driving and so driving up to Boston would also be a little chaotic,” said Hermans.
For those with flights still ahead, that uncertainty is creating even more anxiety.
“It definitely makes me a little nervous, the uncertainty whether my flight might get canceled,” said Jeffrey Natalone, of Logan Square.
Natalone has plans to fly to Orlando but says he’s now considering backup options.
“The other options are taking Amtrak down there, which is, I don’t even know how long that would take, and driving is probably like a day, 24 hours, so I don’t think that’s a possibility either,” said Natalone.
And with Thanksgiving and the busy holiday travel season fast approaching, experts warn the delays and cancellations could pile up even more.
Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
