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<\/p>\nDozens of airports around the country are canceling hundreds of flights due to the ongoing government shutdown and eight of those connect with Lubbock\u2019s Preston Smith International Airport.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s that mean to all of us flying in and out of Lubbock?<\/p>\n
Kelly Campbell, the airport\u2019s executive director, was kind enough to interrupt a vacation day to give us an update. Outside of making sure the airport is ready to handle flights whenever they come and go, she doesn\u2019t have much more information yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cDenver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Austin, Dallas, Dallas Love Field, Houston Hobby, Houston Intercontinental, all of them are on the list,\u201d Campbell said of the airports Lubbock connects with.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of flights, a small overall percentage, were canceled on Friday following orders by the Trump administration as the government shutdown leaves air traffic controllers working without pay, according to the New York Times.<\/p>\n
One Southwest Airlines flight to and another from Denver were canceled Friday.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\t\tCredit: City website.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the best way for a passenger to know is through their airline, go to their website, use their apps, because the airport sure can\u2019t tell you any better than those resources,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey give us a schedule every month with scheduled flights, but any deviations from that \u2013 and there\u2019s deviations every day, right? \u2013 just because of delays and cancellations, mechanicals, flight crew issues, whatever \u2013 that happens on a daily basis,\u201d Campbell added.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur job is to have the airport, the facility, the airfield, the terminal building ready for passengers. We can\u2019t control what happens with flight service with the actual flights and the FAA. It\u2019s hard times, hard decisions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
For people planning flights in the next few days or weeks, Campbell said travelers may want to consider flying a day earlier.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s business that can\u2019t be rescheduled or if it\u2019s a vacation that they\u2019ve planned for a year. Maybe there\u2019s options to fly out a day earlier. People are just going to have to weigh that for themselves with the urgency of their trip,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a flight next week too that I\u2019ll have to decide what to do if things don\u2019t change,\u201d Campbell added.<\/p>\n
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