By Friday morning, November 7, more than 1,000 flights had been canceled nationwide. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and major airlines are struggling to cope with staff shortages exacerbated by the ongoing government shutdown.
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said flight reductions were necessary to ensure safety in the absence of full funding. On Thursday, the FAA published a list of forty major airports where traffic will be cut by roughly 4 percent. The decision comes amid a rising number of air traffic controllers failing to report for duty.
Controllers are classified as essential personnel, but since the shutdown began—now more than a month ago—they have missed at least two paychecks. Meanwhile, Congress remains unable to agree on a temporary funding bill that would restore operations.
Under airlines’ current plans, American Airlines will cancel around 220 flights a day, United just under 200, Delta about 170, and Southwest roughly 120. On top of these cuts come routine disruptions linked to technical issues or weather.
“Even with the reductions, we expect to operate around 6,000 flights a day,” American Airlines said in a statement released Thursday. The company stressed it is continuing to notify passengers and urged travelers to check their flight status on its website or via the mobile app.
Airports in Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Alaska, Illinois, Florida, and several other states have also been ordered to cut the number of flights under an unprecedented FAA directive aimed at maintaining safety.
“The FAA’s goal is to reduce the strain on the aviation system so we can continue operating safely. That is our shared priority,” United said, pledging to scale back some domestic routes that do not connect its hubs. “Whatever the circumstances, we will not compromise on safety.”
“The cuts will take effect on Friday, November 7, and we will continue updating our schedules for as long as the shutdown lasts, to give customers advance notice and minimize disruption,” the airline added.
According to FlightAware, by Friday morning there had been around 1,119 cancellations and more than 10,000 delays. The data does not distinguish between disruptions caused by the FAA directive and those stemming from technical issues or weather.
Under existing rules, airlines are required to refund passengers who are already at the airport and unable to reschedule their trip, but no compensation beyond reimbursement is mandated.
“The overwhelming majority of our flights will operate as scheduled, and we will contact affected customers as soon as possible,” Southwest Airlines said. The carrier added that all passengers holding tickets for travel through Wednesday, November 12, may change their dates free of charge or receive a refund, whether or not their specific flight is impacted.
“International flights will not be affected. We will continue to update customers as the situation evolves,” the airline said.