United States By Saturday evening, airlines had canceled over 2,500 flights for the weekend, as the Federal Aviation Administration’s mandate to decrease air traffic due to the government shutdown showed no indication of lessening.
TL;DR
- Over 2,500 flights canceled this weekend due to the ongoing government shutdown and FAA mandate.
- Air traffic controllers are calling in sick due to missed salaries, worsening staffing shortages.
- Passengers face rebooking challenges and potential disruptions extending into the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Impacts may extend beyond air travel, affecting air freight, tourism, and the broader economy.
The congestion at numerous major U.S. Airports didn't result in any prompt widespread disruptions. However, it intensified the effect experienced by the country's longest federal shutdown.
Everyone journeys. "Everyone's got somewhere to go," stated Emmy Holguin, 36, who was traveling from Miami to visit relatives in the Dominican Republic. “I’m hoping that the government can take care of this.”
Experts caution that the upheaval will intensify and extend well past air travel if cancellations continue to mount and extend into the Thanksgiving holiday period.
Concerns are already surfacing regarding the pressure on tourist spots and seasonal cargo movement.
Here’s what to know about the flight reductions:
How many flights have been canceled?
More than 1,500 flights were canceled on Saturday, a day usually characterized by lighter travel, an increase from the over 1,000 cancellations recorded the day before, as reported by the flight tracking service FlightAware. As evening approached in the U.S. Airlines had already called off over 1,000 more flights scheduled for Sunday.
Numerous disruptions occurred throughout the day at airports located in Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Newark, New Jersey. Staffing deficits at radar centers and control towers contributed to the flight cancellations and delays experienced at numerous East Coast airports, particularly those serving the New York City metropolitan area.
The FAA order didn't cause every single cancellation, and those figures accounted for only a minor fraction of all flights across the country. However, they're expected to increase over the next few days if the current deceleration persists.
According to the FAA, the reductions affecting all commercial carriers began at 4% of flights at 40 targeted airports and will be increased again on Tuesday, reaching 10% by Friday.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy cautioned this week that further reductions could be necessary if the shutdown persists and additional air traffic controllers are absent.
Why are the flights being canceled?
Air traffic controllers haven't received their salaries for almost a month due to the shutdown, prompting many to report themselves sick and worsen pre-existing staffing shortages.
According to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, most are compelled to work mandatory overtime six days weekly without compensation, and some have resorted to taking on additional employment to cover their expenses.
The union stated on Saturday that it had submitted 1,600 handwritten letters from its members to Congress, urging an end to the shutdown.
How are passengers being affected?
Most were relieved to find that airlines largely stayed on schedule Friday, and those whose flights were called off were able to quickly rebook. So far, longer international flights have not been interrupted.
There is still a lot of uncertainty about which flights will be canceled next.
And not everyone has the means to pay for a hotel or deal with a last-minute disruption, said Heather Xu, 46, who was in Miami on Saturday after a cruise and flying home to Puerto Rico.
“Travel is stressful enough. Then you put these disruptions in place, and it really makes everything more challenging,” she said.
Rental car companies reported a sharp increase in one-way reservations Friday, and some people simply canceled flights altogether.
Diana Alvear of Bridgewater, New Jersey, scratched her family’s trip next weekend to see in-laws in California because of concerns about flying when controllers are working long hours and understaffed.
She also was nervous about being stranded, which would be “a huge debacle” for work. United Airlines gave her credit for the airfare, but the family is still out nearly $700 for the deposit on an Airbnb.
“This has been costly to us, and it’s a huge disappointment for us and our family,” Alvear said. “It’s really weighing on our hearts that we had to do this.”
What could be the impacts beyond air travel?
First there is the potential for higher prices in stores, as nearly half of U.S. Air freight is shipped in the bellies of passenger aircraft.
Major flight disruptions could bring higher shipping costs that get passed on to consumers, said Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University.
Further losses will ripple through the economy if the slowdown continues, from tourism to manufacturing, said Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group.
“This shutdown is going to impact everything from cargo aircraft to people getting to business meetings to tourists being able to travel,” Raiff said. “It’s going to hit the hotel taxes and city taxes. There’s a cascading effect that results from this thing.”
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Associated Press journalists Cody Jackson in Miami, Paul Wiseman in Washington, Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Anne D’Innocenzio in New York contributed.