Listen to this article
Estimated 6 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.
Travellers through some of the busiest U.S. airports can expect to learn Thursday whether they’ll see fewer flights as the government shutdown drags into a second month.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will announce the 40 “high-volume markets” where it is reducing flights by 10 per cent before the cuts go into effect Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the air space safe during the shutdown, the agency said.
CBC News has reached out to both the FAA and the Department of Transportation (DOT) for more information but not yet had a response. In an automated email, the FAA said, “due to a lapse in funding, the FAA is not responding to routine media inquiries.”
Staffing shortages have already caused tens of thousands of flight delays nationwide, with airlines estimating that at least 3.2 million travelers have been affected.
Industry sources told Reuters the first round of reductions, which cuts about 4 per cent of scheduled flights, will take effect as soon as Friday. The cuts will rise to five per cent on Saturday, six per cent on Sunday, and reach as high as 10 per cent by next week if the shutdown persists.
Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be cancelled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.
“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”
WATCH | Trump threatens to fire federal workers:
Trump renews threat of mass federal firings amid shutdown
In a social media post, U.S. President Donald Trump said Republicans must use the government shutdown ‘to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud,’ while also blaming the closure on Democrats in Congress.
Which airports will be affected?
Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.
Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said Wednesday at a news conference.
“We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes.
Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declined during the news conference to name the cities and airports where they will slow air traffic, saying they wanted to first meet with airline executives to figure out how to safely implement the reductions.
And neither the FAA nor DOT responded to CBC News’ request immediately on Thursday. But U.S. CBS News, citing two sources familiar with a conversation between the FAA, the Department of Transportation, and the airlines, reported a proposed list of the 40 airports to be affected.
They are, according to CBS:
- Anchorage International (ANC)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
- Boston Logan International (BOS)
- Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
- Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
- Dallas Love (DAL)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)
- Denver International (DEN)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
- Newark Liberty International (EWR)
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)
- Honolulu International (HNL)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Washington Dulles International (IAD)
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
- Indianapolis International (IND)
- New York John F Kennedy International (JFK)
- Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS)
- Los Angeles International (LAX)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Orlando International (MCO)
- Chicago Midway (MDW)
- Memphis International (MEM)
- Miami International (MIA)
- Minneapolis/St Paul International (MSP)
- Oakland International (OAK)
- Ontario International (ONT)
- Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
- Portland International (PDX)
- Philadelphia International (PHL)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
- San Diego International (SAN)
- Louisville International (SDF)
- Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)
- San Francisco International (SFO)
- Salt Lake City International (SLC)
- Teterboro (TEB)
- Tampa International (TPA)
Domestic airlines try to reassure travellers
Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.
The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.
United, Southwest and American all said they will try to minimize the impact on consumers as they cut their schedules to comply with the order.
It’s not clear yet what airlines and airports will be affected. (Nam Y. Huh/The Associated Press)
Calls to the customer service hotlines at United and American were answered within a few minutes Wednesday afternoon, suggesting anxious passengers were not swamping the airlines with questions about the status of their upcoming flights.
In a letter to employees, United CEO Scott Kirby promised to focus the cuts on regional routes and flights that don’t travel between hubs. He said the airline will try to reschedule customers when possible and will also offer refunds to anyone who doesn’t want to fly during this time, even if their flight isn’t cancelled.
“United’s long-haul international flying and our hub-to-hub flying will not be impacted by this schedule reduction direction from the FAA,” Kirby said.
“That’s important to maintain the integrity of our network, give impacted customers as many options as possible to resume their trip, and sustain our crew pairing systems.”
Since the shutdown began, air travel disruptions have increased, especially on the weekends. (Ryan Murphy/Reuters)
Travel industry, unions urge end to shutdown
Major airlines, aviation unions and the wider travel industry have urged Congress to end the shutdown.
Wednesday’s announcement came on the heels of Duffy warning a day earlier that there could be chaos in the skies next week if the shutdown drags on long enough for air traffic controllers to miss their second full paychecks next Tuesday.
Duffy said the FAA wanted to take a proactive approach instead of reacting after a disaster. He pointed to all the questions that arose after the deadly mid-air collision in January between a commercial jet and a military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport about why FAA didn’t recognize the risks and act sooner.
“We learned from that. And so now we look at data, and before it would become an issue, we try to assess the pressure and try to make moves before there could be adverse consequences,” Duffy said. “And that’s what’s happening here today.”
