San Antonio International Airport is not one of the 40 airports affected by a federal mandate to cut flights at the nation\u2019s busiest airports.<\/p>\n
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered those airlines to cut 10% of its flights because of the federal government\u2019s ongoing shutdown, which affects air traffic controller staffing.<\/p>\n
Four of those airports are in Texas \u2014 Dallas Love Field and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, as well as Houston\u2019s William P. Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Airports.<\/p>\n
The cuts to flights go into effect Friday. SAT officials said in a statement Thursday that there could still be effects for local travelers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we are grateful that San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is not among the airports identified by the Federal Aviation Administration, it is possible that travelers may be impacted by reductions in service at other airports,\u201d said Tonya Hope, SAT\u2019s public relations manager.<\/p>\n
Hope added that SAT had not experienced any other operational impacts from the government shutdown. Security checkpoints, border protection and air traffic control services continue to operate at SAT, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Air Traffic Control employees continue to perform their essential work, despite not being paid currently,\u201d she said in an email.<\/p>\n
Those employees are utilizing support from the San Antonio Food Bank, Hope added. The food bank is looking for more support<\/a> as demand for services increase during the government shutdown, which has lasted 37 days now.<\/p>\n The shutdown has lasted since Oct. 1 and is now the longest in U.S. history. <\/p>\n