Canceled flights near 1,300 today, more expected post-shutdown
Weeks of unpaid air traffic controllers have grounded thousands of flights — and the travel chaos won’t end when Congress cuts a deal
Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Another 1,284 flights were grounded Wednesday morning amid the government shutdown. And even when things reopen, delays and cancellations are unlikely to end right away, airlines and policymakers warn.
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The House is set to vote Wednesday evening on a Senate-backed bill to reopen the federal government, after a record 43-day-long shutdown. In that time, more than 5.2 million passengers have been hit by staffing-related delays or cancellations, according to Airlines for America, an industry group.
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House speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans are “very optimistic” about passing the bill, despite only holding a razor-thin majority. “I just want to say that we’re very optimistic about the vote tally tonight. We think this is going to happen,” he told reporters Wednesday morning, per CNN.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that it could be a gradual process returning to normal. “We’re going to wait to see the data on our end before we take out the restrictions in travel but it depends on controllers coming back to work,” he said at a press conference at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
Controllers have reportedly taken up second jobs after missing their second full paychecks this week. Duffy said there were fewer cancellations Tuesday, which he chalked up to controllers coming back to work after news of the deal in Washington. Only two air traffic control staffing issues were reported Wednesday, compared with 40 on Monday.
Nonetheless, the number of cancellations was nearly 1,300 and rising midmorning, with more than 10,000 delays. Until the government reopens, airlines must keep following an order by the Federal Aviation Authority to incrementally reduce flight capacity by 10% by Friday. Hub airports in Denver, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and the New York area have seen the largest amount of cancellations.
Per the FAA order, flights must be cancelled seven days before they are scheduled to take off. Once they are cancelled and passengers have been told, it is difficult to reinstate them.
“Airlines’ reduced flight schedules cannot immediately bounce back to full capacity right after the government reopens. It will take time, and there will be residual effects for days,” said Airlines for America. “With the Thanksgiving travel period beginning next week and the busy shipping season around the corner, the time to act is now to help mitigate any further impacts to Americans.”
American Airlines said in a statement that it was “encouraged” by the progress in Washington, but that it still has reduced flight schedules at 40 airports amounting to about 200 flights canceled each day. “This is unacceptable. We are hopeful that an end to this shutdown is in sight, and we urge leaders in Washington, D.C., to reopen the government as soon as possible.”