Travelers, federal workers react to end of government shutdown
The FAA announced that the reduction rate remained unchanged at 6% even as the government ended the nation’s longest government shutdown.
Flight reductions continue to be implemented at 40 major U.S. airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a 3% reduction in flights through the weekend, down from 6% at the end of the government shutdown. If the closure lasted longer and the shortage of air traffic controllers worsened, more flight cancellations were expected.
“The 3% reduction will continue while the FAA monitors system performance over the weekend and assesses whether normal operations can resume,” the FAA said in a Nov. 14 news release, citing improved staffing levels as a mitigating factor.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Brian Bedford have repeatedly said that data will guide operational decisions.
As of 2 p.m. ET on Nov. 16, fewer than 120 U.S. flights had been canceled and about 2,000 were delayed, according to flight tracker FlightAware.
Travelers whose flights are canceled can rebook without penalty or receive a full refund if they choose not to fly. There is no obligation to compensate for delays outside of the airline’s control, including delays mandated by the FAA.
Airlines may automatically rebook customers on the next available flight, but are flexible about timing. As always, travelers should check flight status before departing for the airport and allow plenty of time for connections as delays are possible.
