Major Disruption for US Air Travel
The effects of the record-breaking US government shutdown have severely impacted air travel, with major airlines cancelling hundreds of flights. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directed that air traffic must be reduced by 4% from 6am Eastern Time on Friday, affecting 40 major airports across the country.
Airline Cancellations Begin
Carriers including United, Southwest, and Delta airlines began cancelling flights ahead of the directive. On Thursday evening, Delta announced it would cancel 170 flights on Friday and a smaller number on Saturday. Southwest stated it would cancel 120 flights for Friday, while United plans to cut 4% of its flights from Friday through Sunday. Airports in major hubs like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are among those affected.
Safety Concerns Behind the Cuts
The FAA has stated that these flight reductions are necessary to maintain the safety of air traffic control operations during the ongoing federal government shutdown. This shutdown, now in its 37th day, is the longest in US history, with no resolution in sight between Republicans and Democrats to end the budget standoff. Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimates the cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats combined, signalling significant ongoing disruption for passengers.
