Summary:
- U.S. airlines canceled hundreds of flights Friday after FAA-ordered cuts at 40 major airports.
- Smaller airports may also face disruptions, which could extend into Thanksgiving.
- USTA called the shutdowns irresponsible and urged the government to reopen.
U.S. AIRLINES BEGAN cancelling hundreds of flights on Friday, hours after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered the cuts amid the ongoing government shutdown. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy directed 10 percent flight reductions starting Friday at 40 major U.S. airports, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, affecting both commercial and cargo flights.
Smaller airports are likely to be affected as well and disruptions could extend into Thanksgiving even if the shutdown ends soon, Duffy said, according to The Independent.
“Today’s announcement from Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford reinforces that safety is the number one priority in our nation’s air travel system,” said Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association president and CEO. “The decision to reduce scheduled flight capacity, while necessary to keep our skies safe, will inevitably affect the travel experience, leading to fewer flights, longer delays and more disruptions for travelers.”
Freeman called all government shutdowns irresponsible, saying this decision highlights the urgent need to reopen the government.
“The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system, forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” he said. “The fault for this situation rests squarely at the feet of Congress.”
Meanwhile, USTA’s economic loss ticker surpassed $5 billion and continues to rise.
The cuts come as air traffic controllers have missed paychecks due to the shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, CNBC reported. Staffing shortages have disrupted flights at several major airports, affecting travelers and airline operations. Delays were reported Friday at Newark Liberty International, San Francisco International and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International.
The sudden cuts forced airlines to adjust schedules and ensure crews were available despite the last-minute changes. More than 700 U.S. flights were canceled as of 9 a.m. Eastern Time Friday, about 3 percent of the day’s total, CNBC reported, citing Cirium. While that level of disruption is common during routine events like severe weather, the Department of Transportation warned cancellations could increase.
The FAA’s order calls for cuts to rise to 10 percent over the next week: 4 percent Friday, 6 percent by Tuesday, 8 percent by Thursday and 10 percent by Nov. 14. Friday’s cancellations ranked as the 72nd worst in the U.S. flight market since Jan. 1, 2024, according to Cirium, a period that included Southwest’s Christmas meltdown and mass delays at Delta after a tech outage.
More than 300 industry associations, including AAHOA and AHLA, recently urged Congress to reopen the government and restore services affecting travel and tourism. The hotel industry lost $650 million as the shutdown enters its fourth week, with each day costing $31 million, they said in a joint statement on Oct 22.
The shutdown, the second-longest in modern history after the 2018–2019 shutdown, prompted the associations to write Congress, urging an end due to its impact on tourism and hospitality.
