Do I Miss Flying? A Flight Attendant’s Honest Truth during the 2025 Shutdown.
When most people think of flight delays, cancellations, or the ripple effects of a government shutdown, they imagine frustrated passengers stranded at gates, missed connections, or ruined vacations. What many don’t stop to consider is this: flight attendants are human, too. And during a government shutdown, the lives of the crew members serving your snacks, helping with your bags, and ensuring your safety in the sky are turned upside down right alongside yours. As a former international flight attendant with more than twenty years in the industry, I lived through shutdowns, furlough scares, last-minute schedule changes, and paycheck uncertainties that made my heart race long before the aircraft ever did. Travelers often see flight attendants as part of the machine—uniformed, polished, professional—but they rarely see the people beneath the wings. They don’t see the mothers worrying about childcare because their schedule changed overnight. They don’t see the single parent trying to stretch a delayed paycheck. They don’t see the crew member living out of a suitcase for five days straight because reroutes made it impossible to get back home. And during a government shutdown, all those cracks widen.
The Myth of the “Inconvenience-Free” Crew
There’s a popular misconception that airline employees fly for free, stay in fancy hotels, and glide effortlessly through travel chaos. But shutdowns expose the truth: flight attendants are just as vulnerable as the passengers they serve. When TSA agents and air traffic controllers—both essential government employees—continue working without pay, the strain hits the entire aviation ecosystem. Longer security lines, understaffed checkpoints, delayed aircraft, rerouted flights, and low morale trickle down to the cabin crew who must now handle the frustration of hundreds of anxious passengers… all while silently battling their own. As travelers of color, we know what it’s like to be expected to “push through” regardless of the weight we carry. And flight attendants—especially those of us who are Black women—feel that cultural burden deeply. We’ve perfected the art of smiling through storms, both literal and emotional, while navigating a system built on unpredictability.
When Delays Cut Into Real Lives
Most people don’t realize this, but flight attendants aren’t paid when the aircraft door is open. Let me say that again: if the door is open, we are not on the clock. So, when delays happen—two hours, five hours, eight-hour waits on the ground—the passengers may be annoyed, but flight attendants are essentially working for free. And during shutdowns, delays multiply like wildfire. A schedule change for a traveler might mean calling a boss and explaining a late arrival. But for a flight attendant? That same delay can mean:
Missing another scheduled flight and losing the pay for that trip
A disrupted sequence that cuts their earnings in half
Losing their hotel accommodations for the night
Missing time with children who are already used to a parent who’s always gone
Paying last-minute fees for pet care or childcare
Interrupted sleep schedules that affect their safety and performance
Shutdowns heighten all of this. Flights stack up. Crews time out. Reserve flight attendants are stretched thin. And the financial and emotional toll intensifies.
Flight Attendants Are Traveling Workers, Not Vacationers
During shutdowns, I often heard frustrated passengers say, “Well, at least you still get to travel.” But here’s the truth: flight attendants are traveling to work. And when the system breaks down, they are working without the luxury of control. They’re thinking about:
Whether they can pay their bills if the per diem decreases
How reroutes will affect their next paycheck
If they’re stranded in another city instead of getting home to their own bed
Whether they’ll miss a birthday, graduation, or holiday
If they must face discipline for delays they didn’t cause
A shutdown doesn’t just delay aircraft. It delays lives.
The Mental Load No One Sees
While travelers feel annoyed, flight attendants often feel invisible. Shutdown-related stress doesn’t just end when the flight takes off. The mental toll lingers:
Constantly checking company messages for updates on schedules
Worrying about retirement contributions or healthcare delays
Supporting coworkers who may be in single-income households
Working alongside exhausted TSA or ATC professionals, doing their best without pay
Fielding passenger frustration that isn’t theirs to fix
Behind that calm, controlled cabin presence is a human being whose job relies on emotional resilience. And shutdowns drain that well fast.
A Reality Check for Travelers
As EbonyTravelers, many of us travel with intention—with awareness, empathy, and cultural understanding. But I hope this post encourages all of us to broaden our perspectives even further. The next time your flight is delayed or canceled during a government shutdown, remember: The crew is not the cause of the chaos. They’re navigating it right alongside you. Flight attendants are away from their families, juggling financial uncertainty, and working behind the scenes to keep you safe—even when their own world feels unstable. Shutdowns don’t just disrupt travel; they disrupt the lives of the people who keep the travel world moving.
