U.S. Airlines Cut Hundreds of Flights This Friday Following FAA Order
U.S. airlines began cutting flights this Friday after an unprecedented directive from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which ordered a progressive reduction in air traffic due to safety concerns linked to the prolonged government shutdown. The measure initially affects 4% of flights at 40 key airports, with projections to reach 6% by Tuesday and up to 10% by November 14th if the situation remains unresolved.
Major Airlines Adjust Operations
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines canceled around 700 flights this Friday. Although the cuts do not apply to international flights, the impact on domestic routes has been significant.
- American Airlines canceled 220 flights, affecting 12,000 passengers. Most were rebooked within a few hours.
- United Airlines suspended 184 flights on Friday and expects to cancel 168 on Saturday and 158 on Sunday. Half of its affected customers were rebooked in less than four hours.
During the weekend, the cuts will be smaller due to the natural decrease in scheduled flight volume.
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Warning from American Airlines: “Further Cuts Would Be Problematic”
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom told CNBC that he does not anticipate significant disruption for passengers with the initial cuts but warned that an expansion of cancellations would be “problematic.” “This level of cancellation is going to grow over time, and that will be a problem,” he stated.
FAA Justifies Measure Based on Safety Data
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had announced a 10% reduction starting Friday. However, after a review with the safety team, it was decided to start with a 4% cut to avoid greater disruptions. Duffy explained that the decision was based on data showing incidents of loss of separation between aircraft and runway incursions.
“We have received more complaints from pilots saying that controllers are less responsive or seem more stressed,” Duffy noted. “The numbers are moving in the wrong direction.”
Late Communication and Airline Resistance
The FAA published the list of affected airports at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, less than 12 hours before the cuts took effect. The airlines, which had already received a draft of the order, expressed concerns that were largely rejected by the agency.
Controller Absences and Additional Restrictions
The FAA is facing a growing number of air traffic controller absences, with between 20% and 40% not reporting for work daily, according to Administrator Bryan Bedford. This Friday, delays were reported at six airports due to increased absences.
During the government shutdown, which has now become the longest on record at 38 days, 13,000 controllers and 50,000 security agents have been working without pay.
Additionally, the FAA is restricting space launches and warned that it could reject cuts that disproportionately affect certain communities. A reduction of up to 10% in general aviation flights at high-traffic airports is also being considered if staffing problems persist.
With information from Reuters
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