DALLAS – Travelers flying out of DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field may experience longer security wait times, delays, or flight cancellations because of the continued government shutdown.
The two airports are also impacted by the Federal Aviation Administration’s new restrictions due to staffing shortages.
What’s causing the air travel disruptions? 
Big picture view:
Due to the continued government shutdown, the FAA announced airlines should reduce flights by at least 4% starting on Friday. That number increases by 1% each day until it hits a 10% reduction next week.Â
The agency said the cutbacks are necessary and will relieve pressure on Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents and air traffic controllers working without pay for more than a month.
Authorities add that many employees are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and more and more are calling in sick.
The U.S. Transportation Secretary called it a “proactive move.”
American Airlines said the cuts will result in about 220 cancellations out of about 6,000 daily flights. Delta expects to cancel 170 flights on Friday, and United is canceling around 200.
Local perspective:
FOX 4 reporter Payton May said all seemed to be going well at the big airport on Friday morning. TSA wait times were normal.
Some travelers she talked to showed up three hours before their flight on Friday morning because they were worried about getting through security.
Others said they had been constantly refreshing their airline app to get flight updates.
“All last night I just kept checking and early this morning I woke up and was like, ‘Let’s make sure that we still have a flight to go on. So, yeah, it’s been a little stressful. But we’re here,” said Ryan and Kim Dorn, who are traveling to Mexico.
How to check for flight delays
Travelers can check TSA wait times by:
Visiting the links provided on the MyTSA App.Checking your airport’s official website.Googling your airport name and typing “security wait times” for a direct link. DFW TSA Wait Times
You can check DFW Airport’s TSA security checkpoint wait times by clicking this link: Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW).
The wait times for Dallas Love Field are available by clicking this link: Dallas Love Field (DAL)
TSA Wait Times in Texas
Officials are still warning fliers that the times shown are estimates, and actual security lines could be longer.
The TSA provides this data primarily through the MyTSA mobile application. Click here to download My TSA App.
FAA flight delays & air traffic reduction impacts
The 10% reduction in air traffic is a proactive measure, according to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, who stated the agency “is not going to wait for a problem to act,” citing the staffing pressures from the shutdown.
As of Wednesday, the flight tracking site FlightAware.com reported over 1,000 flight delays within, into, or out of the U.S., with 90 flights canceled.
Aviation unions and the travel industry are urging Congress to end the shutdown swiftly by voting on the clean funding resolution proposed by Republicans. The U.S. Travel Association noted this week that the economy has already lost over $4 billion, and the industry fears the impact will worsen if the shutdown extends into the holiday travel season.
What airports are cutting flights?
In Texas, DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field, as well as the two airports in Houston (George Bush Houston Intercontinental and Houston Hobby) are affected by the FAA restrictions.
The full list of affected airports includes:
Anchorage International in AlaskaHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in GeorgiaBoston Logan International in MassachusettsBaltimore/Washington International in MarylandCharlotte Douglas International in North CarolinaCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International in KentuckyDallas Love Field in TexasRonald Reagan Washington National in VirginiaDenver International in ColoradoDallas/Fort Worth International in TexasDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County in MichiganNewark Liberty International in New JerseyFort Lauderdale/Hollywood International in FloridaHonolulu International in HawaiiHouston Hobby in TexasWashington Dulles International in VirginiaGeorge Bush Houston Intercontinental in TexasIndianapolis International in IndianaJohn F. Kennedy International in New YorkHarry Reid International Airport in Las VegasLos Angeles International in CaliforniaLaGuardia Airport in New YorkOrlando International in FloridaChicago Midway International in IllinoisMemphis International in TennesseeMiami International in FloridaMinneapolis/St Paul International in MinnesotaOakland International in CaliforniaOntario International in CaliforniaChicago O`Hare International in IllinoisPortland International in OregonPhiladelphia International in PennsylvaniaPhoenix Sky Harbor International in ArizonaSan Diego International in CaliforniaLouisville International in KentuckySeattle/Tacoma International in WashingtonSan Francisco International in CaliforniaSalt Lake City International in UtahTeterboro in New JerseyTampa International in Florida Why did the government shut down?
The government shutdown, now in its 37th day, is the longest in U.S. history.Â
It began after Republicans passed a short-term funding measure through Nov. 21, which Democrats rejected. Democrats insist any measure must address their concerns regarding healthcare, specifically reversing Medicaid cuts from a major bill passed this summer and extending tax credits that lower health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
The Source: Information in this article comes from FOX 4 reporter Payton May’s interviews at DFW Airport, the TSA, each airport website, and previous FOX Digital coverage.