Shutdown Disrupts Skies

Shutdown Disrupts Skies

The Federal Aviation Administration is reducing flight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports beginning today. The cuts were prompted by staffing shortages, as air traffic controllers and TSA agents approach six weeks unpaid amid the government shutdown, now the longest ever. The reductions could affect over 268,000 passengers on roughly 1,800 domestic flights daily and will continue until safety data improves. Controllers, who have missed one paycheck since the shutdown began Oct. 1 and are set to miss another next week, have increasingly been calling off work. Most were already working mandatory six-day workweeks due to chronic staffing shortages. Over 6,200 flights were delayed and 500 were canceled last Friday, marking the single worst day for delays since the shutdown began. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffey attributed roughly 65% of those delays to controller staffing, compared to the usual 5%.  Travelers began receiving cancellation notices yesterday, and several airlines have temporarily eased refund policies. See list of affected airports here.