US will publish list of 40 airports where air traffic will be reduced | Air transport
US airline regulators are expected to release on Friday a list of 40 airports serving “high-volume markets” where air traffic will be reduced; It could be a move that could force airlines to cancel thousands of flights and cause a host of scheduling issues and delays at some of the country’s largest airports.
The Federal Administration Agency said flights were reduced to ensure safety during the ongoing federal government shutdown; There is no sign of a decision to end the federal budget dispute between Republicans and Democrats, now in its 35th day, the longest on record.
Experts predict that hundreds or even thousands of flights may be canceled. The disruptions could amount to 1,800 flights and up to 268,000 seats in total, aviation analytics firm Cirium estimates.
ABC News said It had obtained a list of affected airports that included Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, three airports in the New York City area, and Chicago O’Hare.
flight discounts, exit reportedIt will start at 4% on Friday and work its way up to 10%. Flights affected by these discounts are scheduled from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The likely airspace closure comes two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday, typically the busiest travel period of the year, increasing pressure on lawmakers to reach a deal to end the shutdown.
Already understaffed air traffic controllers have been working without pay since October 1, according to transport minister Sean Duffy, who said the cuts would be to “relieve pressure”; many work mandatory overtime and others take second jobs.
“Most of the controllers said, ‘Most of us can handle missing a paycheck. Not everyone, but most of us can handle it. None of us can handle missing two paychecks,'” Duffy he said on Wednesday.
Duffy warned there could be chaos next week if controllers miss their second full paycheck on Tuesday.
“Democrats, if you get us to a week from today, you’re going to see mass chaos. You’re going to see mass flight delays,” he said. “You’ll see mass cancellations and you may see us closing certain parts of the airspace because we can’t manage that because we don’t have air traffic controllers.”
The agency’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) is responsible for the scheduling and safety of more than 44,000 flights per day and more than 3 million airline passengers in more than 29 million square miles of airspace. The potential for air travel chaos comes two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday, the busiest travel weekend of the year.
According to the administration, the government shutdown has led to a shortage of up to 3,000 air traffic controllers; Additionally, at least 11,000 more people receive zero wages despite being classified as essential workers.
FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said the flight disruptions were intended to keep airspace safe during the closure.
“I am not aware of a situation in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we have encountered such measures,” Bedford said. “We are in new territory in terms of a government shutdown.”
“Our sole role is to make sure we keep that airspace as safe as possible. Capacity reduction at our 40 locations. That’s not tied to light airline travel locations. It’s about where the pressure is and how to actually deflect that pressure,” Bedford added.
Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said in a statement that the government shutdown “forced difficult operational decisions that disrupted travel and undermined confidence in the U.S. air travel experience.”
Aviation expert John Nance told the ABC regulators were “probably trying to do the best they could” to avoid any reduction in safety margins. “We face the potential to virtually close down the national airspace… You cannot continue to operate this in a way that ignores the reduction in security. This is an incredibly serious situation.”
At least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits from Friday through Sunday evening, according to an Associated Press analysis of operational plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center. This figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.
On weekends from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at high altitudes reporting potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But over the five weekend periods since the start of the shutdown, the average has more than tripled to 26.2 properties.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
