Flights to and from Tampa International Airport could be among the thousands affected after the Federal Aviation Administration said it will cut service because of the federal government shutdown.
The federal agency on Wednesday announced it would cut flight capacity by 10% at the nation’s top 40 busiest airports. Tampa is considered a “core 30″ airport by the agency, meaning it is among the nation’s busiest airports and may be affected.
The agency said it would release a list of the airports affected on Thursday. It said the move is aimed at keeping the airspace safe during the shutdown.
“We can’t ignore it,” said agency administrator Bryan Bedford at a press conference Wednesday.
As the federal government shutdown enters its 37th day Thursday, now the longest in history, its effects are increasingly acute.
Bedford said that even if the shutdown ends soon, the Federal Aviation Administration would not automatically resume normal operations until air traffic staffing stabilizes.
The cuts come just weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday, the busiest air travel time of the year. Experts predict the cuts could delay or cancel thousands of flights nationwide.
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay since Oct. 1. Their last paycheck was Oct. 30. There are 1,100 federal employees working without pay at the Tampa airport, about 10% of its total workforce.
Last month airport officials said air traffic controllers had not walked off the job and that staffing was stable, but the number of call outs have increased at airports elsewhere, including New York City and Washington, D.C., leading to delays in Tampa.
About 60 employees at the Tampa International Airport are members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a union representing thousands of workers responsible for directing planes and preventing crashes.
Last week union members posted up at the Tampa airport, urging travelers to contact their Congressional representatives to end the shutdown.
The Tampa airport is offering assistance for federal employees, including free bus rides, grocery assistance through Feeding Tampa Bay and short-term loans from local banks.
Still, the national air traffic controllers union says the status quo is unsustainable.
“For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans,” Nick Daniels, its president, said in a statement last week. “Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable.”
In the meantime, airport officials recommend that travelers allow plenty of time to get through security at the airport, arriving two hours before domestic flights and three for international ones.
This is a breaking news story. Stick with tampabay.com for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.