Flight cancellations are already stacking up fast as airport reductions begin
Travelers braced for headaches with the FAA clamping down on the number of planes in the air as the record-long government shutdown drags on
By 7:30 a.m. ET Friday morning, there were already four times as many flight cancellations in the U.S. as all of Thursday.
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As of 9:30 a.m., some 824 flights within, into or out of the U.S. had been cancelled (and another 1,091 delayed), as 40 major airports saw their capacity cut. And that number will continue to grow in the days to come.
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The travel frustration comes following an order from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to throttle flight volumes across America, a move he says will ensure passenger safety as overworked air traffic controllers continue to work without a salary due to the ongoing (and record-setting) government shutdown.
The capacity cuts started to be phased in on Friday. By next week, the full 10% reduction will be in effect. And the reduced flight capacity could increase beyond 10% if the shutdown continues and staffing levels for air traffic controllers and TSA agents worsen.
Air travel was already snarled on Thursday, with 7,245 flights delayed, which is close to a record-setting figure, if not the new record. (Data on flight delays is spotty, but on December 2, 2024, when the TSA screened over three million passengers in one day — a travel‐volume record — just 6,800 flights were delayed.)
Some travelers are seeking alternate forms of transportation. Hertz says it has seen a surge in car rentals as flights are canceled, with one-way reservations increasing 20% through this weekend.
Many major airports continue to report staffing problems, particularly with air traffic control. Newark Liberty International says it will be short staffed until noon, resulting in more delays. And Boston's air traffic control center says it won't be fully staffed until 11:00 a.m.
Aviation data firm Cirium estimates as many as 1,800 flights could be affected on Friday, with that number increasing as the throttling expands. The aviation system is especially sensitive to many kinds of disruption. A weather delay in one part of the country can throw flights nationwide into chaos. Disturbances in air traffic control are perhaps even more disruptive.
Passengers are being strongly encouraged to check with their carrier to see if their flight is affected before heading to the airport.