Frustrated Fliers Have Feds to Thank

If the “sequester” budget cuts are not cancelled in the near future by the Congress and the President, there will be many unhappy travelers at the airport.  The across-the-board budget cuts, totaling $85 billion, will cut funding to various federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation.  As a result, some airport security screeners and air-traffic controllers will be furloughed.  If such personnel cuts are made, either the volume of people traveling will have to decrease or travelers will have to wait in longer security and checkpoint lines.  The wait time to check into an airport could jump an hour– perhaps even three hours for international travelers.  While Republicans and Democrats negotiate on what mixture of spending cuts and tax increases should replace the sequester’s automatic cuts, the public is largely unaware of the transportation inconveniences it could soon face.