The federal government shutdown entering its 38th day this Thursday continues with no resolution in sight, causing ripple effects that are beginning to impact flights in the United States, including five major airports in California.
United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced in a press conference on Wednesday that due to the impact of the federal government shutdown, flights at 40 major airports across the U.S. will be reduced by approximately 10% over the weekend (about 3,500 to 4,000 flights per day). He had previously warned that air traffic controllers are under immense pressure and widespread flight cancellations may occur.
According to NBC News, flight reductions will start at 4% on Friday, increase to 5% on Saturday, reach 6% on Sunday, and gradually escalate to 10% next week. The airports in California affected according to the Associated Press include Los Angeles (LAX), Ontario (ONT), San Diego (SAN), San Francisco (SFO), and Oakland (OAK).
These major airports see a daily average passenger flow of no less than 500,000 people. Based on the aforementioned flight reduction percentages, it is estimated that tens of thousands of flights will be affected from Friday to Sunday.
The period between November 21st and December 2nd, just before Thanksgiving, is an exceptionally busy time at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), with total passengers usually exceeding 2.2 million. LAX is currently preparing for the peak passenger traffic but due to a shortage of air traffic controllers, the arrival rate of flights has slowed. According to ABC7, passengers are already experiencing severe flight delays and long lines at security checkpoints.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been facing a shortage of air traffic controllers, with a gap of 3,000 personnel. The current government shutdown has left 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security personnel without pay.
During the press conference on Wednesday, both Secretary Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford discussed the serious impact on air traffic controllers: many are required to work overtime every week, six days a week, facing issues of fatigue and significant economic pressure; this accumulating fatigue poses a safety concern that the management sector must address in order to ensure safety; this is also a reason for flight reductions by transportation and aviation authorities along with airlines.
With Thanksgiving just three weeks away, passengers typically make flight reservations in advance. If the federal government cannot resume operations by the end of this weekend, widespread flight cancellations may force many travelers to alter their plans.
Passengers who have booked flights during this period need to stay updated on flight adjustments.
Delta Air Lines stated in a release that the company will operate the majority of its flights as planned, including all long-haul international routes, striving to minimize the impact on passengers and prioritizing safety. For passengers who may be affected by the journey, Delta Air Lines said, “We will offer greater flexibility to all passengers, allowing changes, cancellations, or refunds, including for economy tickets, without any fees.”
United Airlines mentioned that flight reductions are limited to regional flights and domestic flights between non-hub airports, while long-haul international flights and hub-to-hub flights will remain unaffected. The company also assured that during this period, passengers whose flights are unaffected and wish to cancel trips are also eligible for refunds.
Southwest Airlines stated that in the event of flight cancellations, passengers will be notified through the contact information provided at the time of booking and will also see notifications on the app and the company’s official website.
Considering the risk of flight cancellations, Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle suggested on LinkedIn that passengers consider purchasing backup tickets from other airlines, with departure times later than the original scheduled flight. He also reminded passengers to make sure to buy backup tickets that are convertible to credit or fully refundable.