Federal government shutdown snarls air travel. Here's how travelers can protect themselves
It's been a week into the federal government shutdown, and flight delays and cancellations are starting to climb nationwide.
How can you, as a traveler, protect yourself during this unpredictable time?
"It's an ever-changing, ever-moving situation right now," said Cadillac Travel Group President David Fishman.
Fishman says because of the government shutdown, traveling can be tricky, so he's dishing out two tips on how to prepare.
"First and foremost, check ahead. All the airlines have the alerts that you can sign up for, so make sure that you're signed up for the alerts. Second of all, get there early," Fishman stated.
With the potential of flights being cancelled or air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration employees not showing up for work, Fishman says delays may happen. He recommends travelers arrive three hours before a scheduled flight. Travelers can also look at the Federal Aviation Administration website for advisories of flight cancellations or airport closure information.
"You can't say well, 'I'll go into another airport because they can all potentially be affected,'" said Fishman.
Fishman says travel insurance is essential to protecting your trip.
"You should always get travel insurance. I actually recommend that you don't get your insurance through your credit card. It doesn't cover a lot of the things you need covered. I would always use an independent travel insurance company. You'll get better coverage," Fishman said.
If you choose to back your trip with insurance through the airline, Fishman says, check the fine print to know exactly what's covered.
"What I do know is that you will get your money back if your flight is cancelled because of someone not showing up for work. So, you won't get it back if you get to the airport too late and don't get through TSA, but you will get it back from the airline if your flight is cancelled. You don't necessarily need to take additional insurance for your air, but you should take it for your land. Your tours, your hotels, things like that. You're going to have to cover that because you won't be able to cancel those last minute," said Fishman.
As far as whether people should be hesitant to travel without knowing what's going to happen with the shutdown, Fishman says they shouldn't be, as long as they're prepared.
"You should plan your travel, but make sure you're doing the right things when you're planning your travel, meaning take your travel insurance, make sure you know what the rules are for refundable and nonrefundable on all your different parts of your trip," Fishman stated.
CBS News Detroit reached out to Detroit Metro Airport, which says it is not anticipating any disruptions involving the shutdown.
TSA sent the following statement:
"TSA has not experienced any delay in operations due to callouts and remains fully capable of facilitating safe and secure travel for passengers."
CBS News Detroit also reached out to the FAA and is still waiting to hear back.