Hundreds of flights cancelled across U.S. in bid to maintain safety
CBC
U.S. airlines began cancelling hundreds of flights on Thursday as the Federal Aviation Administration sought to reduce traffic at the country's busiest airports because of the government shutdown.
More than 760 flights had been cut from Friday's airline schedules, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions, by late Thursday.
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, N.C., according to a list distributed to the airlines. In some metropolitan areas, including New York, Houston, Chicago and Washington, multiple airports will be impacted.
The FAA said in its official order published Thursday evening that the reductions will start at four per cent on Friday and ramp up to 10 per cent by Nov. 14. They are to be in effect between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time and impact all commercial airlines.
The reductions are meant to maintain safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the shutdown. It also comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Democrats in Congress to end the shutdown.
"With continued delays and unpredictable staffing shortages, which are driving fatigue, risk is further increasing, and the FAA is concerned with the system's ability to maintain the current volume of operations," the order reads.
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1, and have been increasingly taking sick days. Most controllers work mandatory overtime six days a week.
Hours before the reductions went into place, airlines were scrambling to figure out where to cut. American Airlines said it reduced its schedule at the listed airports by four per cent from Friday through Monday, about 220 cancellations each day, and would increase from there to the 10 per cent target. The carrier said its international schedule was expected to remain untouched.
The restrictions also apply to a subset of smaller carriers that operate scheduled charter flights. International flights do not have to be reduced, according to the FAA.
Some airlines planned to focus on slashing routes to and from small- and medium-size cities.
"This is going to have a noticeable impact across the U.S. air transportation system," industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said.
The flight reductions just weeks before the busy holiday season prompted some travellers to change their plans or look at other options.
Fallon Carter cancelled her Friday flight from New York to Tampa, where she planned to spend the weekend at the beach. She was worried about making it back to Long Island to be a bridesmaid at her best friend's wedding.
"I don't know if I get there, will I get home?" Carter said.
