Forty North American airports will see traffic cut by 10pc starting Friday if no deal is reached to reopen the federal government, US transportation secretary Sean Duffy said today as the shutdown hit its 37th day.
Airports that would see flights cancelled include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, George Bush Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Ontario International Airport in Canada (see table).
Since 1 November, total flight cancellations within, to and out of US airports totaled more than 870 flights as of 11:20 ET today, while more than 25,900 flights have been delayed, according to flight-tracking company FlightAware. The count includes mechanical, weather, and other incidents.
United Airlines said today that its long-haul international and hub-to-hub flights will not be impacted by the planned traffic cancellations, but rather regional and domestic mainline flights that are not between hub airports will be the focus of cancellations.
Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have been working without pay since the partial US government shutdown started on 1 October. Staffing shortages prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to periodically issue temporary ground stops at some airports because of a lack of air traffic controllers, while TSA staff shortages led to hours-long security check-ins.
Even before the shutdown the FAA has been far short of its targeted number of air traffic control employees. Controllers have seen a 3,800 worker shortage during the shutdown, National Air Traffic Controllers Association president Nick Daniels said late last month.
Earlier this week Duffy blamed the shutdown on Democrats, warning if they did not vote to reopen the government within a week, the country would see "massive cancellations."
"We are going to proactively make decisions to keep the airspace safe," Duffy said in a press conference on Wednesday.
| US/Canada airports subject to 10pc traffic cuts | |||
| Anchorage International | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County | Los Angeles International | Portland International, Oregon |
| Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International | Newark Liberty International | New York LaGuardia | Philadelphia International |
| Boston Logan International | Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International | Orlando International | Phoenix Sky Harbor International |
| Baltimore/Washington International | Honolulu International | Chicago Midway | San Diego International |
| Charlotte Douglas International | Houston Hobby | Memphis International | Louisville International |
| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International | Washington Dulles International | Miami International | Seattle/Tacoma International |
| Dallas Love | George Bush Houston Intercontinental | Minneapolis/St Paul International | San Francisco International |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National | Indianapolis International | Oakland International | Salt Lake City International |
| Denver International | New York John F Kennedy International | Ontario International | Teterboro |
| Dallas/Fort Worth International | Las Vegas Harry Reid International | Chicago O`Hare International | Tampa International |
| US transportation secretary Sean Duffy | |||

