FAA Order To Cut Flights Nationwide Due To The Government Shutdown Is Now In Effect

Airlines scrambled to adjust their schedules and began canceling flights Thursday in anticipation of the FAA's official order.

The Federal Aviation Administration ’s unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide because of the record-long government shutdown took effect Friday morning, with some passengers trying to figure out backup travel plans.

The 40 airports selected by the FAA span more than two dozen states and include hubs such as Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and Charlotte, North Carolina, according to the order.

In some metropolitan areas, including New York, Houston, Chicago and Washington, multiple airports are being impacted, while the ripple effects could reach smaller airports as well.

Airlines scrambled to adjust their schedules and began canceling flights Thursday in anticipation of the FAA’s official order, while travelers waited nervously to learn if their flights would take off as scheduled.

“We are operating today over 6,000 flights,” David Seymour, chief operating officer for American Airlines, told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Now we’ve had to cancel as part of this directive 220 flights today and that will be the same number through the weekend, until we start ramping up. We have been working tirelessly throughout, around the clock, to ensure that we’re minimizing the disruption to our customers.”