The Federal Aviation Administration began cutting flights Friday by 4% at 40 major airports nationwide due to the ongoing government shutdown.
The flight cancellations will reach 10% by next Friday.
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay throughout the government shutdown. This reduction is expected to impact travelers significantly as Thanksgiving approaches, with 31 million people expected to fly.
The FAA’s capacity cuts started with a 4% reduction Friday, increasing to 6% by next Tuesday, 8% by next Thursday, and reaching 10% by next Friday. These cuts will affect flights between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
Elizabeth Collando, flying from Fort Myers to Orlando and then New York, expressed her current lack of concern.
“I haven’t received any updates. I figured the airlines will send emails or anything. I’ve been getting emails that everything’s on track, so I’m not worried as of right now,” said Collando. “I’m sure, as the time gets closer, if I start hearing more, I’ll be more concerned. Until then, I’m not concerned.”
Annie Depasquale, flying to Newark from Fort Myers shared her decision to change her flight time due to the shutdown.
“With the shutdown and everything going on, we thought we better get home before it gets too crazy. That’s why we’re taking the early 6 a.m. flight home,” said Depasquale.
For travelers flying out of RSW, flights should be fine, but monitoring connections to the 40 affected larger airports is recommended.
The Department of Transportation mandates airlines to issue full refunds for impacted flights, but not for additional costs like hotels or car rentals unless booked through the airline.
Experts advise travelers to keep a close eye on their flights, consider buying a backup ticket, purchase directly through the airline, and book flights without layovers to minimize potential disruptions.
For a complete list of impacted airports, click here.