ORLANDO, Fla. — President Trump signed the bill to reopen the federal government on Wednesday evening, ending what became the longest shutdown in U.S. history. While federal workers are expected to receive their pay within the next 48 hours, without having to wait for their next scheduled paycheck, many essential services will take days or even weeks to recover fully.
At the Orlando International Airport, cancellations and delays are still piling up, and aviation experts warn that it could take one to two weeks before air travel returns to normal. That’s because even with the president’s signature, it will take time for funding to start flowing back into agencies like the TSA and FAA.
Katie Rollins knows that firsthand. Her flight was canceled during the shutdown, leaving her stranded out of state. Now that she’s preparing to travel again, she isn’t taking any chances. “Next time I will have both my little boys with me, which adds a layer of stress to it,” said Katie, who booked her flight days before she was supposed to arrive at her destination. “It was because of the shutdown. It’s my brother’s wedding, and I wouldn’t miss it for anything. I had to change my plans because I said if I’m going to get delayed, and I can’t get to where I need to go, I need to give myself some extra time.”
Aviation safety consultant Captain. Richard Levy says even though the shutdown is over, recovery won’t be immediate. “TSA employees and air traffic controllers will be coming back to work. A lot of them have been working secondary jobs so they could put food on the table,” Levy said. “It will take several days for the FAA to start moving airplanes.”
SNAP Delays Could Impact Hundreds of Thousands
The lingering effects extend beyond airports. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, more than 500,000 people in Central Florida rely on SNAP benefits. With payments disrupted during the shutdown, food banks are once again stepping in to fill the gap. “The families and individuals might get their funds back, cards filled — you have just put these individuals in a crisis mode that’s going to take them 30 to 60 days or even more to come out of,” said Anjali Vaya, executive director of United Against Poverty Orlando.
Sen. Rick Scott Says Shutdown “Should Never Happen Again”
The current budget bill only funds the government through January, raising concerns about another potential shutdown in the near future. When asked what he would say to the hundreds of thousands of Floridians who rely on government services and fear another shutdown, Florida Sen. Rick Scott explained he will try to avoid that. “My goal is that this never happens again. We should never be shutting down the government. People on food stamps, our military, our Capitol Police, our FAA workers should never be pawns in a policy disagreement,” said the Republican. “I know what people are going through. I mean, it’s tough. It’s tough when you’re struggling to put food on the table.”
What’s Next?
As of Wednesday evening, 40 flights have already been canceled for Thursday at Orlando International Airport. Officials hope the number of cancellations and delays will gradually decrease as federal agencies restart operations.
Channel 9 has asked DCF about a possible timeline for when SNAP funds will begin going out once the government reopens. The agency replied that it is reviewing and gathering the requested information.
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