FAA to reduce air traffic by 10% at 40 airports

ORLANDO, Fla. – Several airlines at Orlando International Airport (MCO) said they are offering flight changes, re-bookings, cancellations or refunds without penalty to customers affected by the Federal Aviation Administration‘s decision to reduce air traffic by 10% at 40 airports.

The FAA directive to reduce air traffic starts Friday.

What we know:

Orlando International Airport was listed as one of the 40 impacted airports, according to a published list from the Associated Press. Tampa International Airport is also included in the list. 

“Based on a report from Airports Council International-North America, an organization that supports and advocates for airports, MCO is identified as one of the 40 U.S. airports that will have flight reductions beginning Friday (tomorrow),” the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority said in a statement to FOX 35. “This may mean fewer arrivals and departures, which could help slow the rate of activity in the national air space system and assist airports that are experiencing staffing challenges; however, the FAA has not given MCO official notification on its status.”
 

FAA expects more flight delays, cancellations

Decreasing air traffic by 10% was part of the FAA’s plan to address staffing shortages, as nearly half of all major air traffic control facilities were affected when workers – who were not being paid during the government shutdown – called in sick. 

“This is about where’s the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure,” Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday. 

Duffy told FOX News that passengers should expect more delays and cancellations as the government shutdown continues. 

Here’s what several MCO airlines are doing to comply with the FAA’s directive, while also prioritizing customers who may be impacted. 

Airlines offering flexible travel

Six airlines released statements regarding offering flexible travel to customers affected by the FAA decision. 

Allegiant

Allegiant’s network has not been impacted, and all scheduled flights are operating as normal, the airline said in a statement. Allegiant is awaiting further instruction from the FAA, it said. 

If any flights are affected, passengers will be notified directly through our normal communication channels, the airline said, saying customers don’t need to take action at this time. 

American Airlines

Though American Airlines said it expects the vast majority of its customers’ travel will be unaffected and long-haul international travel will remain as scheduled, the airline said it will proactively reach out to impacted customers. Customers whose flights are canceled for any reason or who choose not to travel will be able to change their flight or request a refund, without any penalty, American Airlines said. 

Delta

Delta is complying with a directive from the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation to reduce flights at 40 major U.S. airports beginning Friday. The airline expects to operate the vast majority of our flights as scheduled, including all long-haul international service. Delta said it will work to minimize customer impact while keeping safety our top priority.

Delta said it’s offering flexibility to all of our customers during the impacted travel period, allowing customers to change, cancel or refund their flights without penalty. This includes basic economy fares, the airline said. 

Frontier 

Frontier said most flights are expected to operate as planned, but if changes to flight schedules are necessary, the airline will communicate with impacted customers via email, text, and the Frontier mobile app. Customers whose flights are canceled or delayed for more than 3 hours (domestic flights) or 6 hours (international flights) are able to rebook or to request a refund online, the airline said. 

Frontier also offers a flexible travel policy, allowing any customer traveling during this period who would like to change or cancel their travel plans. Changes or cancellations can be made on the Frontier website or app. Customers can check Frontier’s Travel Alerts page for the latest updates.

Southwest 

On Wednesday evening, a Southwest spokesperson told FOX 35 that it’s evaluating how the planned FAA flight restrictions will affect the schedule, saying it will communicate directly with customers as soon as possible. 

“Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees. We continue to urge Congress to immediately resolve its impasse and restore the National Airspace System to its full capacity,” Southwest said. 

United

United’s long-haul international and our hub-to-hub flying won’t be impacted by the schedule reduction direction from the FAA, the airline said in a statement. Instead, regional flying and domestic mainline flights that don’t travel between United’s hubs will be impacted by scheduled reductions, United said. 

The airline will communicate with customers directly if their flight changes and provide rebooking options through its app, website and push notifications. Any customer traveling during this period is eligible for a refund if they don’t want to fly – even if their flight isn’t impacted. This includes non-refundable tickets and basic economy tickets, United said. 

FOX 35 has also reached out to Spirit and JetBlue.

TSA PreCheck line at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia. (Credit: Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

How long are TSA wait times? 

Security wait times can be viewed on MCO’s website. The wait times – listed by gate – are subject to change. 

Flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO) were delayed for hours on Thursday night due to FAA staffing issues, according to the FAA’s National Airspace System website.

How to check your flight status? 

Flight statuses can be viewed on MCO’s website, to check what flights are on time, delayed or canceled. 

To check the status of your flight, officials recommend checking with the airline directly:

What travelers can expect

With the holiday travel season just weeks away, passengers are being advised to check flight status frequently, arrive early, and prepare for potential delays.

At Tampa International, things are running smoothly for now, but as the shutdown drags on, travelers nationwide could be in for more turbulence.

Is Orlando Sanford International Airport affected? 

Orlando Sanford International Airport does not appear to be on the top 40 list. The airport has not released any information regarding if they are affected by the FAA’s decision regarding a 10% reduction in flights. 

The Source: Information in this story was sourced from previous reporting and statements from airlines regarding the FAA statement. 

Orlando NewsOrange County NewsInstastories