Air travel may be getting worse. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that air travel may face huge disruptions if automatic government spending cuts go into effect on March 1.
LaHood laid out a description of what might come to air travelers if spending cuts are permitted to take place in a process called sequestration. Travelers will notice an increase in delayed and canceled flights.
"Flights to major cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco and others could experience delays of up to 90 minutes during peak hours," he said, according to Reuters. "Delays in these major airports will ripple across the country."
Under these budget cuts, $600 million will be taken from the Federal Aviation Administration, which means air traffic control towers will be shuttered, which will create a headache for those who travel by air. About $85 million in cuts are set to be applied to government programs across the board on March 1 unless lawmakers stop this.
Airlines would have to make up for these cuts by cutting service. The cuts are bound to come with some consequences if they go on.
"Nobody likes a delay, nobody likes waiting in line. If we can't get our hamburger within 5 minutes, if we can't get on the plane within 30, 40, 50 minutes of getting through, they're going to start calling their member of Congress," LaHood said of travelers, according to the Huffington Post.
President Obama has urged Congress to postpone these cuts for several months as the White House and congressional Republicans work towards a deficit-cutting deal. Republicans have argued that government spending is a major issue in the economy's problem and they've rebuffed the president's efforts. Many Republicans believe the cuts will benefit the economy in the long-run even if they hurt government programs early on.
LaHood, a former Republican congressman urged his fellow Republicans to reconsider and to reach a deal.
"I would describe my presence here with one word: Republican," LaHood said, according to HuffPost. "They're hoping maybe I can influence some people in my own party."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
