NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Nassau airport officials are closely watching the ongoing U.S. government shutdown and its potential to impact travel with the US Thanksgiving holiday period approaching.
Jan Knowles, Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Development at Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), the Lynden Pindling International Airport operator (LPIA) told Eyewitness News: “We are watching this situation in the U.S. very carefully because most of our flights come in from major cities — the major airline hubs — Atlanta, New York JFK, Miami, Charlotte. We’ve seen some delays — not necessarily cancellations. We’ve seen delays but not a lot. We’re watching it carefully, especially as we head into Thanksgiving, which is a time when we always sit down with our stakeholders to make sure that we have a good plan in place.
She added: “We certainly will be taking this into consideration for Thanksgiving and just watching and observing very carefully. People may decide — they may hold off on traveling. They may decide to stay put and so, you know, we have to watch the numbers too.”
The U.S. government shutdown — now entering its second month since funding lapsed on October 1 — is causing widespread travel disruptions, with airports under strain as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents — many working without pay — report rising absenteeism. Longer security lines, slower screening, and sporadic flight delays are being reported, though airlines are trying to maintain normal operations. Experts warn that if the shutdown continues, disruptions could intensify just as millions prepare to travel for the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
