Flight delays pile up Monday after FAA budget cuts

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Feel for those of you flying this week.


NEW YORK -- It was a tough start to the week for many air travelers as federal budget cuts led to cascading delays along the East Coast Monday morning.

Some flights out of New York and Washington were delayed by more than two hours as the Federal Aviation Administration kept planes on the ground.

The federal agency has said furloughs of air traffic controllers could lead to delays if there weren't enough people to monitor busy air corridors.

For instance, the 8 a.m. US Airways shuttle pushed back from the gate at Reagan National Airport six minutes early but didn't take off until 9:58 a.m.

The plane landed at 10:48 a.m. - more than two and a half hours later than its scheduled time.

Associated Press

 

[Ayork62493]

And so it begins

 

[crazyjaydawg]

Block or better FTW!

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

Let's see how long it takes for public pressure to bring Boehner to his knees. I'm betting less than two weeks.

 

[amorris311]

Knees or tears?

 

[Ralgha]

While congress deserves a lot of blame since they haven't passed a budget in four years, these issues specific to the sequestration belong to someone else, and I think Obama is pulling the strings.

This sequestration cut 2.5% from the budget. 2.5%! That's NOTHING! The government could have cut that without anyone getting fired, furloughed, or even noticing. Someone is dictating that the cuts be made specifically to cause disruption to make a political point. The whole thing was Obama's idea and he hopes that the painful cuts will turn the public against the Republicans and pressure them to make a deal. I think it's deplorable.

Sent from LV-426.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I think it's deplorable.

I think it's brilliant.

 

[amorris311]

While congress deserves a lot of blame since they haven't passed a budget in four years, these issues specific to the sequestration belong to someone else, and I think Obama is pulling the strings.

This sequestration cut 2.5% from the budget. 2.5%! That's NOTHING! The government could have cut that without anyone getting fired, furloughed, or even noticing. Someone is dictating that the cuts be made specifically to cause disruption to make a political point. The whole thing was Obama's idea and he hopes that the painful cuts will turn the public against the Republicans and pressure them to make a deal. I think it's deplorable.

Sent from LV-426.

Republicans wanted spending cuts. These are a glimpse at best of what spending cuts do. Maybe we should look into military spending cuts and we won't have to worry as much about delaying people on their flights. Unfortunately that is not a popular idea by the people that control the house so we have the sequester.

 

[Seggy]

This actually goes ALLLLLL the way back to 2006/2007. 'W' decimated the FAA specifically the union controllers, cut hiring and forced many facilities into a shortage that they still have not recovered from. When Randy Babbitt took over the FAA it was the government agency with the worst morale in internal studies.

To say that Obama or the Democrats have anything to do with causing this situation is a grossly inaccurate statement. This situation starting coming to a head back when 'W' was in charge.

 

[jtrain609]

This actually goes ALLLLLL the way back to 2006/2007. 'W' decimated the FAA specifically the union controllers, cut hiring and forced many facilities into a shortage that they still have not recovered from. When Randy Babbitt took over the FAA it was the government agency with the worst morale in internal studies.

To say that Obama or the Democrats have anything to do with causing this situation is a grossly inaccurate statement. This situation starting coming to a head back when 'W' was in charge.

'Murica.

 

[Ralgha]

Republicans wanted spending cuts. These are a glimpse at best of what spending cuts do. Maybe we should look into military spending cuts and we won't have to worry as much about delaying people on their flights. Unfortunately that is not a popular idea by the people that control the house so we have the sequester.

This is a glimpse at what spending cuts do when specifically directed to disrupt. The FAA could cut 2.5% of its budget without affecting any of us. Somebody is telling them to do it in the most disruptive way possible.

Intelligent cuts are great, and needed. Cuts designed to disrupt the lives of citizens just to make a political point are tools of the despicable (which most politicians are).

 

[SFLAX]

The budget cuts, we're 100% the Presidents, in exchange for taxes rate increase. And if you can't find 2.5% from a budget that always gets increased by 5% a year. So there is no need to furlough anyone, this is all politics.

 

[inigo88]

This actually goes ALLLLLL the way back to 2006/2007. 'W' decimated the FAA specifically the union controllers, cut hiring and forced many facilities into a shortage that they still have not recovered from. When Randy Babbitt took over the FAA it was the government agency with the worst morale in internal studies.

To say that Obama or the Democrats have anything to do with causing this situation is a grossly inaccurate statement. This situation starting coming to a head back when 'W' was in charge.

Don't forget Marion Blakey *shudder*.

 

[Seggy]

Don't forget Marion Blakey *shudder*.

I actually spoke to her on the phone two times!

 

[Jet]

Block or better FTW!

The only problem is they aren't letting us even board until hours later so I'm just sitting around making $1.65/hr not even paying for the coffee I'm drinking.

I'm still confused on the delays? There is still a guy (who doesn't seem unusually busy) in the ramp tower, ground, tower, departure, approach and center. It seems like they just give you a delay time out of spite. What am I missing?

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

You Obama humping dummies do realize the sequester was part of White House strategy, right? It's his plan to make sure we want as much government as we can get... that's why these highly visible cuts are done instead of actually trimming the fat in areas that need to be cut.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

Well, you're partially right. It is intentional, but it's not to make people long for bigger government. It's to make people turn on the GOP and force them to reach a reasonable deal.

 

[genot]

The only problem is they aren't letting us even board until hours later so I'm just sitting around making $1.65/hr not even paying for the coffee I'm drinking.

I'm still confused on the delays? There is still a guy (who doesn't seem unusually busy) in the ramp tower, ground, tower, departure, approach and center. It seems like they just give you a delay time out of spite. What am I missing?

Flow Control.

 

[Jet]

Flow Control.

Can you explain? It was clear and a million yesterday and it was a ghost town at the destination field yet we were still delayed 2 hours.

 

[rframe]

You're an idiot if you believe this has anything to do with actual budget cuts.