As reductions in flight traffic mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration and caused by the record-setting government shutdown stretched into their fourth day Monday, flight cancellations and delays continued at major Bay Area airports.<\/p>\n
The air traffic reductions, prompted by air traffic controller fatigue<\/a> as workers remain unpaid into a second month, began with a 4% decrease Friday<\/a>. Reductions were expected to rise to 10% of planned flight traffic throughout this week. The cancellations were primarily impacting 40 high-traffic airports across the country, including San Francisco International Airport and Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, but the impacts were rippling to other Bay Area airports as well.<\/p>\n Though legislation that could potentially end the shutdown<\/a> was on track Monday, the flight reductions will likely continue through this week<\/a>.<\/p>\n Air traffic controllers have been doing their jobs unpaid since Oct. 1, when the government shutdown began. Many have had to work six-day weeks as they put in mandatory overtime.<\/p>\n As of noon on Monday, 39 flights had been canceled throughout the day at SFO, making up a total of 3% of the airport\u2019s traffic, said spokesperson Doug Yakel. About 123 flights \u2014 or 10% of airport traffic \u2014 were delayed, with delays averaging about 35 minutes primarily on short-haul West Coast flights. He noted that the weather outlook was good.<\/p>\n \u201cThe majority of these reductions are being made in advance, allowing airlines to proactively notify customers before their day of travel,\u201d Yakel said.<\/p>\n At OAK, seven departing flights and six arriving flights were canceled Monday, according to public information officer Kaley Skantz. A total of 23 incoming and outgoing flights had delays of more than 30 minutes, she added.<\/p>\n \u201cOverall, operations at OAK have been running normally this morning,\u201d Skantz said.<\/p>\n