If you’ve flown recently, you’ve likely noticed signage for Clear+, a private, fee-based biometric identification service that bills itself as a faster alternative to the standard security line. 

Flying is just not what it used to be. Long lines to go through security, cyberattacks on airport check-in systems, labor strikes, lost bags and cancellations. Now on top of all that, there is a global shortage of pilots and airlines are feeling the pinch.

Las Vegas has been walking a tightrope this year. After years of boom-era expansion and record-setting tourism numbers, the Strip is showing signs of strain. The federal government shutdown could exacerbate the city's turbulence, as it depends more heavily on tourism than some comparably sized cities.

Lawmakers and experts alike warn the federal government shutdown, which could see nearly a quarter of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees furloughed, would only worsen the downward trend. The shutdown will force the FAA to suspend hiring and training and delay safety initiatives, according to experts. It could also cause increased wait times at airports, flight delays and cancellations, and delays to repairs and construction on airports.

A federal government shutdown could cost the travel industry $1 billion a week and deliver a punishing blow to Las Vegas’ already faltering tourism economy, industry experts say, as mounting delays, unpaid airport workers and rising uncertainty deter visitors while Congress remains bitterly divided over keeping the government open.

What would you do if smoke and fumes seeped into the cabin while you were on a plane? Last February, 99 passengers aboard a Delta Boeing 717-200 flight from Atlanta to Columbia, South Carolina, were thrust into chaos when both poured from vents into the cabin shortly after takeoff. Overcome with the acrid fumes, oxygen masks dropped from ceiling compartments, and passengers and pilots struggled to breathe fresh air and see through the thick, smoky haze. Fortunately, the plane was able to make a safe emergency landing.

The FAA has met its goal of hiring more than 2,000 new air traffic controllers this fiscal year, a move federal officials say will help address decades of staffing declines.

Toxic fumes are leaking into airplanes, sickening crews and passengers, according to a new Wall Street Journal report. Former airline pilot Daniel Bubb discusses the issue.