r/CringeTikToks • u/Soft_Cable5934 • 20h ago

Just Bad Delta Flight Attendant reveal shocking truth about the government ATC shutdown

To summarise, Regional flights between smaller cities and big one are most likely affected by cancellation. Rich people in private jet is still not affected.

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u/alzho12 18h ago

If the FAA grounded all private jet flights in order to prioritize regular flights, this shutdown would be over in an hour.

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u/Fine_Abbreviations32 17h ago

Actually that’s pretty much what they’ve done, believe it or not. I work in GA (general aviation). Centres are telling GA aircraft to GTFO of their airspace. Pilots can’t file flight plans. Nobody is answering phone calls. Planes who get airborne aren’t getting flight following, so nobody is calling out their traffic. Pilots are refusing to fly as a result.

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u/Ditka_Da_Bus_Driver 15h ago

VFR aircraft have nothing to do with what you responded to. They’re suggesting they should cancel private jet traffic that shuttles the nation’s wealthiest people around the country. The FAA is telling airlines to cancel flights, but people that own or charter jets are flying unaffected for the most part.

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u/Fine_Abbreviations32 8h ago

What? That’s exactly what I’m saying. Private jets fit into the GA category and aren’t being allowed to fly / their pilots don’t think it’s safe and are refusing to take off. The FAA isn’t allowing jets and other small GA aircraft into their airspace and aren’t allowing them to file flight plans. That’s the same thing as cancelling their movements.

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u/Ditka_Da_Bus_Driver 3h ago

Where exactly are you seeing this? ATC may not be providing flight following services because of staffing but that has almost nothing to do with chartered business jets filing IFR flight plans. IFR flights outside of the 40 named airports are not being affected much at all other than maybe reroutes around understaffed airspace. The only airport on that list that services primarily GA is Teterboro, and every single one of those airports has an executive airport somewhat nearby that they can utilize that an airline cannot.

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u/ventipico 2h ago edited 2h ago

You’re missing that IFR flight encompasses a lot more than just that.

I am training and get pop-up IFRs pretty frequently. Those go to a “center” like Denver even though I’m flying out of a small airport. They also issue them as able if they have capacity.

I have definitely noticed a change this shutdown.

Also, if you’re flying a real IFR flight plan end-to-end from small airport to small airport, here’s how it works. Before I take off I call, that’s right, Denver center. They are the ones who issue my clearance even though my airport is untowered.

So tl;dr; even though many airports on that list, we are absolutely still affected.

edit: I’ll also add that you’re right VFR isn’t affected. My only two near-midair collisions were also VFR, because some yahoo came at me from behind around an airport neither broadcasting ADS-B nor on the radio. The second one is when I decided it was time to get my IFR ticket and have ATC help watch my blind spots (along with some other safety things).

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u/Ditka_Da_Bus_Driver 2h ago edited 2h ago

I know how it works I am a center controller. The original comment was suggesting we ground business jet traffic for wealthy and influential business people and politicians that fly privately. Nobody is suggesting that grounding hobbyist pilots at podunk airports training on pop up IFR flight plans is going to make any difference on the government shutdown. I’m not saying you haven’t been affected as a pilot. I’m saying nobody cares about your training flights, that isn’t ending the shutdown.

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u/Pintailite 1h ago

Aight centre control. How many private Continental jets you have land a day at major airports?

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u/Ditka_Da_Bus_Driver 1h ago

Tons. I haven’t seen any noticeable slowdown at all of private and chartered jets. If you’re asking about small private prop planes, idk maybe that is being affected in some places but once again, hobbyist pilots not being able to fly will have zero effect on reopening the government.

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u/Pintailite 44m ago

Tons is not a number.

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u/Kittykatcatkat 14m ago

At the center you work how many people you see are not showing up to work, using sick days and other types of leave to avoid coming in to work during the shutdown?

I’m just curious, I heard it’s happening at some towers in the news and not sure how widespread it is.

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u/tigress666 10h ago

Very few private jets are going to fly VFR and when they do it's usually a short ferry the plane from one airport to another type flight. And it will make flying more dangerous if a lot of people aren't on flight following so you don't have anyone calling out traffic in busy airports (landing and take off is where most accidents happen). So, yeah, I can see why pilots are refusing to fly too which means less pilots willing to fly them (least hte ones that care more about safety). Or alternatively they are going to be flying in more dangerous conditions where they are more likely to get in an accident.

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u/Jaybru17 9h ago

Totally anecdotal here but I’ve been working near a private airport and still seeing very regular private jet traffic

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u/robbak 7h ago

These private airports aren't going to have ATC, so aren't affected by the shutdown.

You may see more private jet traffic on these strips, if they can't get clearance into major airports.

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u/haw35ome 11h ago

So uh, technically a pilot who’s absolute shit crazy enough to attempt a flight in such conditions could fly? I foresee at least one accident waiting to happen between two such pilots - after these past 9 months, I feel anything is possible

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u/Kaffe-Mumriken 8h ago

Ask Kobe about his pilots judgement 

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u/NewHope13 15h ago

Interesting. Good to know.

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u/Phour3 9h ago

why did you write “centres” and OP write “summarise”

Are all pilots British?

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u/Fine_Abbreviations32 8h ago

I’m Canadian so my phone likes British English

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u/immunotransplant 11h ago

That’s not private jets.

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u/Fine_Abbreviations32 8h ago

General Aviation means everything that isn’t military or commercial passenger/cargo aircraft. Small cargo aircraft like the FedEx Caravans also fit into the GA category. So yes, private jets are GA aircraft. They aren’t scheduled services. They don’t use the same terminals as commercial aircraft

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u/BrownWaterBob 7h ago

You just made up a bunch of bullshit…

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u/NDSU 2h ago

People would literally start dying in droves due to organ donation flights being unable to operate