They say there's the biggest government shutdown in history these days, and the FAA has announced it will reduce flights at 40 airports nationwide. Among them is Los Angeles International Airport, which means our LAX is included.

This week, starting from the 7th, they plan to cut 4%, and next week it will increase to 10%. With Veterans Day holiday next week and Thanksgiving approaching at the end of the month, it's a peak travel season. This is practically a flight crisis for bookings.

According to the media, all California airports including Ontario, San Diego, Oakland, and San Francisco are included. This means that 1,800 flights could be canceled in a day. Is that even possible? They say over 260,000 passengers are delayed, and 10% of them are at California airports.

At LAX alone, more than 70 flights will be reduced in a day, so there will be a truckload of people lingering at the airport. Although international flights are excluded, domestic connections are reduced, so those going abroad will also suffer.

They are also cutting flights in places like Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, and Miami. Brian Bedford, the FAA Administrator, said, "I've never seen such measures in my 35 years in the aviation market." Hearing that makes it even more absurd.

In this unprecedented situation, the only solution they have is to 'reduce'? Air traffic controllers are accumulating fatigue and working without pay, and is this how they plan to solve it? Currently, over 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without salaries.

The Secretary of Transportation said, "Air traffic controllers are taking on side jobs because their living expenses are blocked," as if it were an excuse. If that's the case, shouldn't the government quickly restart instead of asking the public to wait?

The president of the American Travel Association also said, "This is irresponsible," urging to lift the shutdown immediately. Honestly, that's true. If this chaos continues before the year-end peak season, the losses will ultimately fall on the public. Airfares are already expensive, and with delays and cancellations, those who made travel plans are truly in a state of confusion.

They say it's a measure for safety, but reducing flights without any prior measures seems like just avoiding responsibility. If the shortage of air traffic controllers is the problem, they should supplement the workforce instead of cutting flights. It seems like there will be news of fights at the airport during this Thanksgiving.

This government shutdown occurred because the Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on the scale of spending. In particular, the hardliners in the Republican House insisted on cutting government spending except for defense, which prevented the budget from passing.

As a result, a shutdown occurred where the federal government halted some functions. Currently, national parks, some administrative agencies, and public services are halted, and 'essential personnel' like air traffic controllers and Transportation Safety Administration employees are working without pay.

Ultimately, it seems that the public is suffering due to political battles. It reminds me of the old saying that politics is best when it's done by the people, not for the people.