Your aircraft is grounded. Parts are inbound. You’re watching every checkpoint, every handoff, counting the hours while downtime costs stack up. Then you get a push notification on your phone: The government shutdown continues.
Not exactly ideal.
Certain agencies and approvals slow down to a crawl. Specific paperwork sits on empty desks. And you’ll likely call a federal office and get dead air instead of answers.
But, no, you’re not screwed. You just need to know what still functions, and how to work around the gaps.
That’s what this guide covers: five FAQs supply chain managers commonly face when Washington dysfunction collides with time-sensitive freight.
Yes. CBP stays open. Border operations get funded partly through duties and trust funds, so customs officers report to work, and ports keep processing cargo. Automated systems (ACE) remain online for filings too.
Your parts will clear.
The catch? Skeleton crews handle the same freight volume. Admin staff get furloughed. Paperwork piles up. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, dwell times at major ports jumped 15-20% because fewer people were processing documentation.
The problem also hits when your part needs FDA or EPA sign-off because such agencies pause most reviews during shutdowns.
Basically, standard aircraft parts? You’re fine. Anything requiring special federal approval? Expect delays until government funding returns.
No, air transport doesn’t shut down. Air traffic controllers report to work. TSA officers screen cargo. Planes take off and land. But here’s what changes: Everything slows down.
ATC runs on skeleton crews working without pay. During past shutdowns, staffing shortages caused flow controls at major hubs. Flights get spaced wider apart for safety. Gate holds become routine. And already we saw over 23,000 delayed flights in a single week because controllers were stretched thin.
Ground freight, though? Zero issues. Trucking and highway operations run on the Highway Trust Fund, which doesn’t rely on annual appropriations. FMCSA stays fully staffed. Hours-of-service rules stay enforced. State permits keep processing. Roads stay open.
What this means for your AOG move: The best bet is to lean on ground transport when possible.
Cargo screening continues as normal. However, it's important to understand who screens what.
First and foremost, TSA does not screen cargo. Cargo screening is performed either by Certified Cargo Screening Facilities (CCSF) at the forwarder level before shipments are tendered, or by airline ground handlers. TSA's role is limited to conducting spot inspections of cargo at airline facilities—they are not responsible for routine screening.
That said, government shutdowns can still create indirect delays. TSA agents who handle passenger screening may call out sick at higher rates when working without pay, which can slow overall airport operations and create congestion that affects cargo movement.
Additionally, if the shutdown affects CBP (Customs and Border Protection) or other agencies involved in customs clearance, you could see delays in international shipments.
So far, though, no major gridlock in this shutdown. But if it drags on, staffing issues at airports could ripple into cargo operations.
Best practice: Build buffer time into your schedule and have your documentation ready before tendering your shipment—commercial invoices, bills of lading, any required licenses, and insurance certificates.
Standard aircraft parts move through fine. Special approvals? Those are frozen.
Export licenses stop processing during shutdowns. Commerce and State only handle urgent national security cases. If your part needs special export permits or classification, you’re waiting until Congress passes a budget.
FAA stops issuing new certifications. No new aircraft approvals, no pilot licenses, no supplemental type certificates. Safety inspections of existing aircraft continue, but anything beyond critical safety work sits idle.
Hazmat permits face the same freeze. DOT only processes emergency approvals. Standard hazmat requests wait it out. Hours-of-service rules stay enforced, but new driver certifications or hazmat endorsements can’t be issued.
The pattern holds: Routine operations continue, but anything requiring fresh federal approval gets stuck until funding returns.
It’s undeniable that government shutdowns create friction. But friction doesn’t mean failure. Smart planning and the right partners keep your parts moving when federal agencies bog everyone and everything down.
Government shutdowns don’t stop AOG freight, but they gum up the works. Customs agents still process cargo and TSA still screens shipments, but both run on skeleton crews working without pay. Approvals for anything beyond standard parts freeze until funding returns. Phone lines at federal offices go straight to voicemail. And the delays compound when fewer people handle the same freight volume. Your best move? Treat the government shutdown like bad weather: Build buffer time, keep documentation clean, and stay in the loop.
Carrier 911 specializes in getting aircraft parts to grounded planes when conditions get ugly. Our expedited ground network stays reliable during shutdowns because trucking doesn’t depend on federal budget deals. We match the right vehicle to your component, whether it’s small avionics or a full engine assembly, and our TSA-certified drivers handle final-mile delivery when airports and ports back up. We know the customs paperwork, we route around bottlenecks, and we move fast when you can’t afford to wait.
See a demo today and find out how we keep critical parts moving no matter what.
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