Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a 10% reduction in flights at America’s 40 busiest airports due to the ongoing government shutdown, warning of major travel disruptions and flight cancellations starting Friday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that the Department of Transportation would require airlines to cut 10% of air traffic at the country’s 40 busiest airports in an attempt to “alleviate the pressure” on air traffic controllers, who have been working without pay since the federal government shutdown last month.
The cuts, Duffy said, would start on Friday and increase to the full 10% over the next several days, which could force airlines to cancel flights with little notice, disrupting travel for thousands of passengers, and potentially also delaying critical cargo shipments that travel by air. Little detail was immediately available late Thursday, and most airlines had posted notices on their websites alerting travelers to keep an eye on their flight status and keep their contact information updated in their reservation if they’re planning to travel in the next few weeks.
Secretary Duffy had been sounding the alarm about controller staffing since the government shutdown on October 1, but the country’s air transportation system has largely held up without any widespread delays or cancellations. Duffy has also been clear to assign blame to Democrats for the shutdown and any fallout it might have on the performance of the nation’s air transportation system. By restricting airspace under the aegis of preserving safety, the chaos Duffy has been warning about is now all but guaranteed.
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The New York Times reports that Duffy’s messaging had been “infused with distinctly political messages” in the days leading up to Wednesday’s announcement, but during that statement, both he and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the planned restrictions were data-driven.
Washington Senator Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce committee, which oversees the FAA, said the data behind that decision hasn’t been shared. “[The DOT is] the one’s with the data, so we don’t know,” she responded when asked by Politico whether she felt the restrictions were warranted.
Washington Representative Rick Larsen, the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, called for more information from the agencies involved. “Shutting down parts of our national airspace system is a dramatic and unprecedented step that demands more transparency,” he told the New York Times. “The FAA must immediately share any safety risk assessment and related data that this decision is predicated on with Congress.”
In a statement to employees shared with the media, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the airline would attempt to minimize disruptions, saying that long-haul international flying and hub-to-hub flying would not be included in the cuts to the airline’s flights, saying that the reductions would be focused on regional flying and domestic mainline United flights that do not travel between hubs. He also promised refunds for all United customers on all ticket types who elect not to fly during this period—even if their flight isn’t delayed or cancelled.
Travelers anticipating travel this weekend or early next week should keep an eye on their airline’s app for flight updates, and check their airline’s website to see if United’s policy of refunding tickets even for unaffected fliers is being matched if they elect not to travel. En route delays, which incur passenger expenses, are unlikely to be covered by most airlines, as government-mandated flight cancellations are generally regarded as beyond airlines’ control/ Travelers facing expenses because of flight cancellations or delays should check with their credit card issuer if they provide travel insurance for air ticket purchases on that card.
Secretary Duffy said the DOT would announce the 40 affected airports on Thursday. Air traffic is currently at a low ebb, but typically picks up from mid-November through the end of the year as travelers take to the skies for the winter holiday season.
