FAA decision reduce commercial air traffic at 40 airports by as much as 10%, It is expected to have widespread impacts in California and across the country starting Friday.
The cuts were prompted by a government shutdown that left air traffic controllers working without pay. FAA officials say the goal is to ensure safe travel. Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have worked unpaid or called in sick.
With controller fatigue growing, Transport Minister Sean Duffy said he didn't want to wait until staffing pressures compromised safety.
What will change?
Up to 1,800 flights per day could be canceled across the country.
The cuts could affect about 1,800 flights and 268,000 passengers per day, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Cirium estimates that about 72 flights per day could be cut at Los Angeles International Airport alone, affecting 12,371 passengers per day. Another 105 flights could be canceled at four other California airports that are slated for cuts.
Which airports will be affected?
The FAA has not commented publicly. But here's a list from the Associated Press:
1. Anchorage International in Alaska
2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in Georgia.
3. Boston Logan International in Massachusetts
4. Baltimore/Washington International in Maryland
5. Charlotte Douglas International in North Carolina
6. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International in Ohio
7. Dallas Love Field in Texas
8. Ronald Reagan, Washington National University in Virginia.
9. Denver International in Colorado
10. Dallas/Fort Worth International in Texas
11. Detroit Metropolitan, Wayne County in Michigan.
12. Newark Liberty International in New Jersey.
13. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International in Florida.
14. Honolulu International in Hawaii.
15. Houston Hobby in Texas
16. Washington Dulles International in Virginia.
17. George W. Bush Intercontinental Tournament in Texas.
18. Indianapolis International in Indiana.
19. John F. Kennedy International in New York.
20. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
21. Los Angeles International in California.
22. LaGuardia Airport in New York.
23. Orlando International in Florida.
24. Chicago Midway International in Illinois.
25. Memphis International in Tennessee.
26. Miami International in Florida.
27. Minneapolis/St. Paul International in Minnesota
28. Oakland International in California.
29. Ontario International in California.
30. Chicago O'Hare International in Illinois.
31. Portland International in Oregon.
32. Philadelphia International in Pennsylvania.
33. Phoenix Sky Harbor International in Arizona.
34. San Diego International in California.
35. Louisville International in Kentucky.
36. Seattle/Tacoma International in Washington
37. San Francisco International in California.
38. Salt Lake City International in Utah.
39. Teterboro in New Jersey.
40. Tampa International in Florida.
When will the cuts start?
A shortage of air traffic controllers has led to delays of weeks, including at Los Angeles and Burbank airports. But officials said the flight cuts would begin Friday and continue until they reached 10%.
Officials urged passengers to check with airlines about the status of their flights, but warned that flights could be canceled without notice.
- The FAA has a website that tracks problems of national airspace.
- Experts advise monitoring your airline's websites and receiving alerts on your phone.
- Here's more adviсe.
Officials said the decision to cut flights was motivated by data about which areas face the greatest staffing pressures that could compromise safety.
“It doesn't depend on which airline… flies more from which location,” Duffy said. “It’s about where the pressure is and how do we mitigate it?”
What about international flights?
International flights are expected to be exempt from the cuts. But passengers making connecting flights before heading overseas could face problems as the cuts hit several of the country's busiest hubs, including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando and Miami.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
