Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
- Federal officials will cut 10% of flights at 40 US airports starting Friday.The reduction is due to air traffic control delays from the ongoing government shutdown.Up to 1,800 flights, affecting 268,000 seats, could be impacted, says Cirium.
Holiday travel is starting to look incredibly dicey.
The shutdown so far has created massive air traffic control delays, leaving some airports so understaffed that they had to temporarily shut down. Starting on Friday, federal officials will reduce 10% of flights at 40 US airports to manage traffic.
Five airports — Atlanta, Charlotte, Boston, Seattle, and Philadelphia — confirmed to Business Insider that they are among those temporarily losing some service.
The FAA has not yet released an official list of all affected airports. The aviation analytics company Cirium compiled a list of 100 major airports that are among the most likely to be included.
It said that up to 1,800 flights representing about 268,000 seats could be cut on Friday.
Here's the full list from Cirium:
- Chicago O'Hare International AirportHartsfield—Jackson Atlanta International AirportDallas/Fort Worth International AirportDenver International AirportLos Angeles International AirportCharlotte Douglas International AirportPhoenix Sky Harbor International AirportGeorge Bush Intercontinental AirportHarry Reid International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International AirportOrlando International AirportSeattle—Tacoma International AirportNewark Liberty International AirportMiami International AirportLaGuardia AirportSan Francisco International AirportBoston Logan International AirportRonald Reagan Washington National AirportDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportMinneapolis—Saint Paul International AirportPhiladelphia International AirportWashington Dulles International AirportNashville International AirportSalt Lake City International AirportSan Diego International AirportFort Lauderdale—Hollywood International AirportBaltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall AirportAustin—Bergstrom International AirportTampa International AirportPortland International AirportRaleigh—Durham International AirportDaniel K. Inouye International Airport (Honolulu)St. Louis Lambert International AirportChicago Midway International AirportDallas Love FieldSacramento International AirportWilliam P. Hobby Airport (Houston)Louis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport (San Juan)Kansas City International AirportIndianapolis International AirportPittsburgh International AirportSan José Mineta International AirportJohn Wayne Airport / Orange CountyJohn Glenn Columbus International AirportCleveland Hopkins International AirportSan Antonio International AirportCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International AirportSouthwest Florida International AirportOakland International AirportPalm Beach International AirportTed Stevens Anchorage International AirportHollywood Burbank AirportCharleston International AirportJacksonville International AirportKahului AirportOntario International AirportMilwaukee Mitchell International AirportRichmond International AirportBoise AirportMemphis International AirportOmaha
CBS News and The Washington Post shared a list of 40 potentially affected airports, citing unnamed sources.
Business Insider contacted the airports on the list. Some airports — like Indianapolis, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Memphis, Detroit, and those in the Houston, New York, and Dallas areas — told Business Insider they were aware of the planned cuts but were not yet notified they were on a list. They referred Business Insider to the government and the airlines.
Minneapolis airport told Business Insider that operations are normal as of Thursday, but said "if reductions are enacted, travelers should be prepared for flight disruptions" at Minneapolis and other airports across the US.
The affected airports are subject to change. The FAA and the Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Holiday travel snarls
The reductions come at an especially bad time, as the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas travel seasons approach. And there appears to be some scrambling among the government, airports, and airlines to determine what can be shaved with just a few days' notice.
Some airlines have given customers a general idea of what to expect, but details are scarce.
Frontier Airlines told Business Insider that most of its flights are expected to "operate as planned" come Friday, but will proactively communicate with customers as changes occur. It did not offer exact routes. Southwest similarly said it did not yet have specific figures.
MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images
United CEO Scott Kirby provided some information in a Wednesday statement, saying none of the airline's long-haul international or hub-to-hub flights would be affected. Instead, he said reductions will be on regional routes — which connect hubs to smaller airports — and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between hubs.
United has seven main hubs in the mainland US: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington Dulles. It also has a hub in Guam.
Cirium data estimates that Chicago O'Hare, if on the list, would be the most affected airport on Friday, with 121 flights canceled across all airlines. Atlanta — where Delta has its major hub — would be second at 104 flights.
Customers should prepare for disruptions
The schedule adjustments have created uncertainty for travelers, and some industry experts advise that travelers should prepare for longer lines and potential delays.
"If you're checking bags, plan for long lines with extra time at the airport, and pack any valuables or time-sensitive items in your carry-on," Audrey Kohout, Co-CEO of luggage shipping companies LuggageForward and LugLess, said in a media statement.
For those whose flights get canceled, in most cases, airlines would try to rebook them on an alternative flight.
American, Delta, Frontier, and United have said that customers will be able to change or refund their flights at no extra cost.
Southwest said that passengers whose flights are canceled will be eligible for a refund. As of noon ET, Alaska does not have a flexible travel policy in place.
Some airline CEOs are already warning people to prepare for the worst: "If your flight is canceled, your chances of being stranded are high, so I would simply have a backup ticket on another airline," Frontier Airlines CEO Barry said in a LinkedIn post.
