Hundreds of thousands of visitors are flying into Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta, just as a federal government shutdown puts Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers on the job without pay. Starting Saturday, Oct. 4, those screeners will handle the airport’s busiest week of the year. So far, federal and local officials said the shutdown hasn’t caused delays.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta runs Oct. 4-12 and typically pushes more than 300,000 passengers through the Albuquerque International Sunport. The airport’s 10 busiest days of the year all fall during the event, with the Monday after the fiesta topping 14,000 travelers.
Airlines have even added special flights from Charlotte, Philadelphia, Detroit and Seattle to handle the surge. The fiesta itself draws more than 800,000 visitors each year.
During the 35-day 2018-2019 shutdown, missed paychecks led to a 10% spike in TSA sick calls nationwide, forcing some airports to close security checkpoints.
A Balloon Fiesta spokesperson said the shutdown, which began at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1, will not affect the event’s operations, with one notable exception: A cancellation of U.S. Air Force performances on the main street stage and a single flyover.
The Fiesta uses private meteorologists, so National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather services are not needed.
The Federal Aviation Administration will play a limited role but that will not affect safety or operations, the spokesperson said.
Brian Boyd, deputy director of the Sunport, said the shutdown has not affected operations and the airport is continuing to coordinate with federal partners. A spokesperson for Mayor Tim Keller said the city has not observed any TSA-related issues on the first day of the shutdown.
A TSA national spokesperson said an extended shutdown “could mean longer wait times at airports.” About 61,000 of the agency’s 64,000 employees are working without pay during the shutdown.
Dave Fitz, TSA’s regional spokesperson, is among 3,000 federal employees furloughed nationwide and could not answer questions about Albuquerque operations, including how many officers work at the Sunport, when they will miss their first paycheck or whether security lanes will still open 15 minutes early.
TSA did not provide guidance for Balloon Fiesta travelers about whether to arrive earlier than the standard two hours before flights.
Under federal law, TSA officers must continue working during the shutdown but will not be paid until funding is restored.