Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International and Miami International airports are among the 40 across the country that will see flight reductions starting Friday if a deal is not reached to pay air traffic controllers, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by national media outlets.<\/p>\n
The Federal Aviation Administration says it will reduce air traffic<\/a> by 10% across high-volume markets, an extraordinary step being taken as the government shutdown drags into its second month.<\/p>\n Airlines scrambled Thursday to figure out where to cut, and travelers with plans<\/a> for the weekend and beyond were waiting nervously to see if their flights would take off as scheduled. The affected airports include busy connecting hubs and those in popular tourist destinations, including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando and San Francisco. In some of the biggest metropolitan areas \u2014 such as New York, Houston, Chicago and South Florida \u2014 multiple airports will be affected.<\/p>\n Miami ranks as the 10th busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic, while Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood stands at 18. Palm Beach International lands at 51 in terms of passenger traffic in the United States, and is not on the list of airports targeted for flight reductions.<\/p>\n Early Thursday afternoon, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood officials were advising travelers to stay in touch with their airlines, anticipating that no matter what happens, the airport will be open.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe are closely monitoring the situation and remain in regular communication with the FAA, our airline partners, and federal agencies,\u201d said Miami International Airport spokesman Greg Chin. \u201cMIA\u2019s operations remain normal, with our focus on maintaining safe, efficient, and reliable service for all passengers and partners..\u201d<\/p>\n Orlando International Airport likewise has been advising passengers to check their flight status with their airline since news of the flight reductions was announced Wednesday..<\/p>\n \u201cIf MCO is identified as one of the airports to be affected, airport officials understand the priority is to maintain safety in the national air space system,\u201d said Angela Starke, a spokeswoman for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which oversees the Orlando airport. \u201cSince the federal government shutdown, MCO\u2019s operations have been minimally impacted, with few exceptions, thanks to the federal airport partners who continue to come to work.\u201d<\/p>\n The FAA is slashing flights because of the shutdown. Here\u2019s what travelers can expect<\/a><\/p>\n ABC News first obtained the list of affected airports. It includes many of the nation\u2019s major airports, including those in Atlanta, Charlotte, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the step was needed to alleviate the strain being put on the system by the shutdown. Air traffic controllers have been forced to take side jobs as they work without pay, he said.<\/p>\n Experts predict<\/a> that hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled, The Associated Press reported.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we\u2019ve had a situation where we\u2019re taking these kinds of measures,\u201d Bryan Bedford, administrator of the FAA, said Wednesday. \u201cWe\u2019re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.\u201d<\/p>\n South Florida-based Spirit Airlines is advising customers to monitor their flight status using the Spirit app or website. \u201cWhile we are closely monitoring the situation, we expect to operate the vast majority of our flights,\u201d the website advisory<\/a> says. \u201cWe will work to minimize any impacts to our Guests.\u201d<\/p>\n Spirit is offering customers two options if a flight is canceled: a full refund or a rebooking on the next available Spirit flight.<\/p>\n Southwest Airlines advised passengers<\/a> they will be notified if their flight is canceled, and in most cases, they will be automatically rebooked on the next available flight. Refunds will be available to those with flight cancellations who choose not to travel.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that these FAA-imposed cancellations could impact an important moment in your life,\u201d the airline wrote in a social media post. \u201cWe appreciate your understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n Other airlines issued similar advisories. United Airlines noted that its long-haul international flights will not be affected by the slowdown, saying the focus is on regional and domestic flights.<\/p>\n Air traffic controllers received a partial check on Oct. 14 and missed their first full paycheck on Oct. 28, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.<\/p>\n On Oct. 30, a shortage of air traffic controllers produced widespread delays, including Orlando<\/a> where delays averaged nearly three hours, along with numerous cancellations.<\/p>\n Transportation Safety Administration officers have also been working without pay. Union officials say they TSA agents are committed to showing up to work, though some have been forced to turn to food pantries for help during the shutdown.<\/p>\n Other Florida airports on the list obtained by ABC News and other major news outlets include Tampa International Airport.<\/p>\n