U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Garret Graves (R-LA) are asking the Biden administration to outline its plans for handling any disruptions to the aviation system due to vaccine mandates.
In a letter to the heads of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration, Sam Graves, the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Garret Graves, the ranking member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, said the upcoming holiday travel season could be disrupted if federal workers are not fully vaccinated by Nov. 22, 2021.
“We are concerned that vaccine mandates combined with a pre-existing worker shortage and anticipated return of holiday air travel demands are compounding and creating a perfect storm,” the Congressmen wrote.
On Oct. 1, the Office of Personnel Management issued guidance requiring federal employees to show proof of vaccination or be subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including termination. In order to fulfill that requirement, the congressmen said, the employees should have had their vaccination doses completed by Nov. 8, with federal agencies being able to begin enforcement on Nov. 9.
“Many airline employees, including airline pilots, are considering retiring or quitting over the mandate, while some have even sued,” the representatives wrote to the FAA. “Recent large-scale airline operational disruptions have demonstrated our aviation system is operating with very little slack, meaning that even minor issues with worker shortages or equipment and crew availability can spiral quickly out of control. We are very concerned that even a small number of terminations at the FAA and the airlines due to the vaccine mandate will stretch our fragile aviation system to the breaking point during the traditionally busy travel season.”