Thanksgiving Travel Troubles: What's the Hold-Up?

Thanksgiving is coming up, and things are not looking good for travel. The government is shut down, and that's causing big problems. Air traffic controllers are working without pay, and that's making people worry about delays and cancellations.

High-Level Meeting at the White House

At the White House, a meeting happened with important people from airlines and unions. They talked about how the shutdown is hurting their workers and the economy. The Vice President and the Transportation Secretary were there. They said that if the shutdown keeps going, Thanksgiving travel could be a mess.

Air Traffic Controllers in the Hot Seat

Air traffic controllers are the ones feeling it the most. They've missed paychecks, and that's not good. In the past, when controllers got fed up, they called in sick, and that caused big travel problems. People are worried that could happen again.

Economic Impact and Changing Plans

The shutdown is also making people think twice about traveling. A lot of them are changing their plans, and that's costing the travel industry a lot of money. The CEO of the US Travel Association said that it's costing $1 billion a week. And Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year.

Political Stalemate

The Vice President said that the only way out of this is for Democrats to pass a spending bill to reopen the government. But Democrats want something in return, and that's where the problem is. The Vice President said that Republicans can't give in to that, because if they do, Democrats will keep using the shutdown as a way to get what they want.

What's Next?

Well, the White House said they're not going to meet with Democrats until the government is reopened. So, for now, it's a waiting game. And with Thanksgiving coming up, a lot of people are hoping that something gets done soon.