Jose Saavedra, director of the Bangor airport, told the council that the federal government shutdown is already affecting local airport operations and capital projects.

Saavedra said the airport relies on federal support for much of its capital work — "upwards of 95% of funds for some capital improvement projects," he said — and that recent FAA staffing and processing slowdowns have put some applications and reviews on hold. He said a passenger facility charge application is on hold because FAA reviews cannot be completed while staff are furloughed or otherwise unavailable, and that a runway quality‑assurance flight check required to certify a recently completed runway project could be impacted if the shutdown persists.

Operationally, Saavedra described two immediate effects: some federal employees (TSA and air traffic controllers) are working without pay and background‑check processing times by TSA and the FBI have approximately doubled, delaying clearances necessary for airport employees. He also noted that the Department of Transportation announced a 10% capacity reduction at 40 major airports; although Bangor is not on that list, eight destinations Bangor serves are, which has created cancellations and delays that ripple into Bangor service.

Saavedra warned of less visible impacts as well: parts and repair support provided through the Maine Air National Guard (which assists with snow removal equipment) could be delayed because parts divisions are affected. He described the airport as a roughly $21,000,000 operating enterprise fund with revenues from fuel sales, parking, landing and service fees; a sustained drop in flights would decrease fuel and parking revenue and could threaten expansion plans.

Councilors asked about morale and potential retirements; Saavedra said industry calls show retirements have risen recently and that prolonged disruption could accelerate staffing losses. He advised the council that staff will continue to monitor the situation and report back on time‑sensitive grant expirations and certification deadlines.