Impact of US Government Shutdown: Jobs, Travel, and National Parks at Risk

Thu Oct 16 2025 22:21:13 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The US government shutdown poses significant risks to jobs, air travel, and access to national parks as 40% of the federal workforce is put on unpaid leave. Citizens brace for delayed services and disrupted access as the political impasse continues.

The US federal government is in a shutdown after lawmakers failed to agree on a budget. This impasse is set to impact air travel, federal employees, national parks, and public services as thousands face unpaid leave and disruptions loom across various sectors.

The US federal government has shut down after Republican and Democratic lawmakers failed to resolve a budget stand-off. The impasse affects the funding of government operations throughout October and beyond, and is poised to cause widespread disruption for Americans in areas ranging from air travel to zoo visits.

The political gridlock is also expected to put 40% of the federal workforce – about 750,000 people – on unpaid leave.

Your next flight

A federal shutdown could hit flyers in a variety of ways, potentially leading to long security queues and delays caused by unpaid air traffic controllers choosing to stay home rather than work for free. Air traffic control and Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) workers are considered essential, so they will continue to go to work but will not be paid until the shutdown ends. Past shutdowns have seen these workers call in sick, leading to delays with ripple effects nationwide.

No work - or pay - for federal workers

Federal employees are expected to be hardest hit, as they will not receive any pay cheques while the shutdown continues. Law enforcement officers will continue to work through the government shutdown, with more than 200,000 doing so unpaid. Meanwhile, agencies like the CDC and NIH could furlough many workers, affecting ongoing research.

National Parks with no staff

National Parks have faced closures during past shutdowns as rangers are asked to stay at home. Some have advocated for closing parks entirely during the shutdown to avoid vandalism, which occurred in the last shutdown when few workers were present.

Healthcare and assistance programs affected

Healthcare programs for the elderly and low-income individuals may experience interruptions, while food assistance funding is expected to run out soon, putting at risk vital services like WIC and SNAP.