FAA announces flight reductions, leaving travelers worried about flights
The FAA will cut flights at 40 major airports by 10% to compensate for the shortage of air traffic controllers during the government shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cut flights by 10% at 40 major U.S. airports over the weekend, leaving many travelers in limbo and some with more questions than answers.
On Saturday, Nov. 8, American travelers entered their second day of government-mandated flight cancellations, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicating that number is likely to increase if the government shutdown continues.
As cancellations increase, travelers are left at a loss as airlines decide whether their flights will be affected. For Nov. 8, United Airlines announced it would be cutting 168 flights from 184 on Friday, Nov. 7, while Southwest Airlines announced it would cancel just under 100 flights, down from 120. American Airlines said it would cut about 220 flights a day, while Delta Air Lines did not announce the exact number of canceled flights. However, the airline confirmed that it had completed flight cancellations until November 10th.
According to FlightAware, as of 2:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 8, there were more than 1,000 canceled flights to and from the United States.
With Thanksgiving just weeks away and cancellations trending upward, these are five alarming questions some travelers may be asking themselves.
Will I be able to go home?
Whether travelers can fly home depends on how long the government shutdown lasts and airline bandwidth.
When Duffy initially announced the 4% reduction in flights, he said it could increase to 6% by Nov. 11, 8% by Nov. 13 and 10% by Nov. 14. But on Nov. 7, Duffy said the number of flights could increase to 15% or even 20% of all scheduled flights as the record government shutdown continues (removals have begun) and air traffic controllers continue to work without pay. It puts a “burden” on the system.
When Carrie Driscoll found herself unexpectedly stranded in Indianapolis on the morning of Nov. 7, there were legitimate questions about whether she would return to her home in northern Kentucky, just outside of Cincinnati.
“I shouldn’t be here,” Driscoll told IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network.
When a flight from Chicago to Cincinnati, part of a two-leg trip home from Fort Lauderdale, was canceled by American Airlines, the former travel advisor decided to find her own flight from Miami to Indianapolis.
“I spent 12 hours from Chicago to O’Hare and was worried that I might never get home,” she said. “That’s why I changed it.” After landing in Indianapolis, Driscoll worked on his laptop and waited for his mother-in-law to pick him up and begin the two-hour drive back to northern Kentucky.
Should I cancel my trip?
Travelers who are trying to beat the airline outright by canceling flights may be taking a risk or accepting the inevitable.
April and Jeff Weihe were scheduled to leave Louisville International Airport on the morning of November 7th for a vacation to Iceland that they had been planning for more than a year, but their panic meters hit the red.
“We’ve been in complete panic this past week, like, ‘Oh my God, are we really going to make it?'” April Weihe told the Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The couple wisely made contingency plans, including driving to Chicago to catch a connecting flight or, if all else fails, taking a backup road trip to Asheville, North Carolina. But as of noon on Nov. 7, the two were on their way to see the Northern Lights.
Of course, travelers should monitor their flights early and often before canceling them, the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY network, reported, citing experts. To do this, download your airline’s mobile app and turn on push and text notifications.
Feeling stuck?
Having the uncertainty of whether you’ll be able to return home or reach your desired destination is a major concern, as Jeffrey Jones, who departed from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on November 7th, said.
“I bought a lot of snacks and things and downloaded more movies and shows than usual in case I ended up on a plane longer than I planned,” Jones told the Bergen Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. “I like to bring food that won’t spoil, like beef jerky, bagels and water, and dried fruit.”
Jones’ instincts proved correct, and her flight to Tokyo was postponed. At the time, Jones texted: “We are stuck on the runway due to the closure. Pilots don’t know when they will take off. … We are waiting for our turn to take off.”
Delays and cancellations continue, but airlines are working with travelers to rebook or offer refunds. Duffy and FAA Administrator Brian Bedford said in a statement that airlines must issue a full refund but do not have to cover secondary costs, which is standard procedure when flight cancellations are not the airline’s fault.
Should I just drive? Or take the train?
Taking a car or train can add hours or even days to your trip, but with many flight cancellations and delays, this option is becoming more and more viable for travelers.
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene decided to take an Amtrak train from Washington to her home state of Georgia instead of flying because of “delays and cancellations of flights.”
“Due to flight delays and cancellations, I took Amtrak from Washington DC to Georgia,” Green posted on X, along with a video of a “morning view of the mountains of North Georgia.”
The New York Times reported on Nov. 7 that Amtrak employees at Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan announced that Amtrak employees “need to reserve space for the expected influx of travelers due to delayed and canceled flights,” and that Greene was not alone.
“The Thanksgiving demand growth we’re seeing started before the government shutdown and reflects the preferred mode of travel by rail,” Amtrak spokeswoman Olivia Irwin told the Bergen Record. “It’s reasonable to expect Amtrak’s market share to increase further if flight delays and cancellations become widespread.”
NerdWallet points out the advantages of driving compared to flying, such as not having to book in advance and not having to worry about delays or cancellations. But planes are faster, allow travelers to multitask, and can be cheaper depending on the flight and other circumstances, the company said.
Will my flight be cancelled?
Travelers won’t know if their flight will be canceled until notified by the airline, making it even more important to monitor websites and apps.
Cecelia Wilde told USA TODAY on Nov. 8 that the Sun Country Airlines and United Airlines flights from Minnesota and Bozeman, Montana, that she and her friend Lara Freeberg took to Denver, Colorado, went smoothly. Both travelers said the airline had clearly communicated the potential for problems with their flights and were more focused on an enjoyable weekend ahead.
“If we’re going to be stuck here for a while, so be it,” said Freeberg, 21, a senior at Montana State University.
Kinsey Green, one of her friends she met at the airport, said the only flight disruption she heard about was with one of her roommates, whose flight to Detroit was canceled but quickly rebooked by United Airlines.
“They just sent her a text saying it was canceled but rebooked so no further action was required,” Green said. “So that’s fine.”
In addition to paying attention to notifications from airlines, travelers can also monitor FlightAware to track cancellations.
