The U.S. Department of Transportation announced a 10% reduction in flights starting Friday, impacting 40 major airports nationwide. This decision is a result of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Fortunately, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is not expected to be one of the airports affected by these reductions. However, since RSW connects to many larger airports that will be impacted, travelers are feeling uneasy.

“We were here for two weeks and we decided to go back home early because we’re afraid we’re not going to get there with the government shutdown that we’re not going to get back to Ohio with the airport mess. And it’s kind of scary to fly,” said Ohio residents Dave and Denise Hill.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not yet released the official list of affected airports. However, CBS News reports indicate that major Florida airports, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando, are likely to see reductions. Other large airports in Atlanta, Dallas, and New York, which connect to RSW, are also expected to be affected.

“I don’t mind if it’s delayed, but I do mind if it’s canceled, and I’m hopeful that they’re going to iron out all their problems and we’re going to be able to have less delays and less cancelations,” said Tracy Alampi, a Naples resident, as she waited for her already delayed flight on Thursday.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that this reduction is necessary to cope with shortages of air traffic controllers, who are currently working without pay.

“There will be frustration,” said Duffy in a Wednesday press conference in Washington, D.C. “We are working with the airlines. They’re going to work with passengers, but in the end our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.”

With Thanksgiving just weeks away, flyers hope things get resolved quick.

“I’m optimistic and I’m hopeful it won’t be too bad of a holiday season,” said Alampi. “We’ll keep our fingers crossed on that one.”

“You know, no one wants to get hurt or any of that nature,” added Terri, a St. Louis resident. “And you know people aren’t getting paid either, so that’s kind of a sad situation.”

Victoria Moreland, chief communications and marketing officer at RSW shared the following statement in anticipation of Friday: “We will be ready to support our airline partners by making sure RSW is open and all services that the airport provides are available. Passengers should check with their airline for the most up-to-date information about flights.”

WINK News reached out to all the major airlines flying out of RSW to better understand how this will impact passengers. Some responded with statements. See below the responses received from various spokespersons.

Frontier Airlines

During the FAA directed flight reductions scheduled to begin Friday, Nov. 7, we expect most Frontier flights will operate as planned. Where changes to flight schedules are necessary, we will proactively 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.

We have also issued a flexible travel policy for 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. We will continue to post the latest updates for customers on our Travel Alerts page.

Before heading to the airport, we encourage customers to check the Frontier mobile app or our Flight Status page for the latest flight status updates. Our team is working around the clock to minimize disruption to customers’ travel plans and to our operation.

We extend our appreciation to all of the federal employees, including air traffic controllers, TSA officers and others who are working without pay while continuing to get airline passengers safely to their destinations.

We wish to thank our customers and team members as we work to minimize the impacts.

United Airlines

What we have to share can be found here: An Update on the Government Shutdown from Scott Kirby to United Employees

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is determining the scheduling adjustments needed to meet the required FAA flight reductions. While the vast majority of our Customers’ flights will not be disrupted, all Southwest Customers, with travel booked through next Wednesday, November 12, may adjust their travel plans at no cost, or receive a refund if they choose not to travel, regardless of whether their flight is affected. We will communicate directly with affected 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.