If you’re flying soon, you’re probably following the daily news headlines with a lot of dread. The Federal Aviation Administration announced this week that it would slash flight capacity by 10% at 40 high-traffic US airports beginning Friday. The cuts are due to a record-long government shutdown that has affected air traffic controllers, who are working without pay and were already shorthanded even before the disruption began on Oct. 1.
There’s no set end time for the flight reduction, which could spread beyond those 40 airports. Looming in the background is the high-volume holiday travel season.
A representative for the FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier in the week, airline employees were already bracing for flight disruptions. On Wednesday morning, CNET Senior Editor Corinne Reichert was buckled into her seat on a Southwest Airlines aircraft getting ready for an in-state flight in California. While on the runway, the pilot told passengers it wasn’t clear if the shutdown would affect that day’s flights and to “keep your fingers crossed.”
Read on below for what to know about traveling amid the government shutdown. And for other travel tips, see our smart travel checklist, guidelines on travel essentials to pack and how to avoid TSA checkpoint headaches.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Is my airport affected?
Almost certainly. The FAA did not release an official list, but numerous media sites, including NBC News, report these are the 40 airports affected for now, listed alphabetically by their three-letter airport code.
- Anchorage International (ANC)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
- Boston Logan International (BOS)
- Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
- Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
- Dallas Love (DAL)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)
- Denver International (DEN)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
- Newark Liberty International (EWR)
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)
- Honolulu International (HNL)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Washington Dulles International (IAD)
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
- Indianapolis International (IND)
- New York John F Kennedy International (JFK)
- Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS)
- Los Angeles International (LAX)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Orlando International (MCO)
- Chicago Midway (MDW)
- Memphis International (MEM)
- Miami International (MIA)
- Minneapolis/St Paul International (MSP)
- Oakland International (OAK)
- Ontario International (ONT)
- Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
- Portland International (PDX)
- Philadelphia International (PHL)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
- San Diego International (SAN)
- Louisville International (SDF)
- Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)
- San Francisco International (SFO)
- Salt Lake City International (SLC)
- Teterboro (TEB)
- Tampa International (TPA)
When will delays begin and end?
The flight reductions begin with Friday’s flights. There’s no word on how long they’ll last, and but a worrisome sign is that there’s no end in sight for Congress to act to end the government shutdown.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CNBC that he could “shut the whole airspace down” if the legislative standstill continues.
NBC News reported that flight cuts would begin at 4% Friday, 5% Saturday and ramp up to 10% next week.
What should I do before I go to the airport?
Load any apps relating to your airlines or airports onto your phone — they can send you information about delays and cancellations.
Even if your flight seems to be unaffected, brace yourself for long security and ticket lines and for possible changes to your flight. If you can, print or download your boarding pass in advance to save time.
Check to see if your airport has a website monitoring which security lines are the shortest and what the wait times are. If you have TSA PreCheck or another service that can speed you through security, now is the time to use it. Make sure when you book a flight that your TSA PreCheck number is entered, or you may not see that important logo appear on your boarding pass.
Bookmark the National Airspace System Status site and check it to see if there are weather or other delays at the airport you’re using.
What if my flight is canceled?
Consult your airline to see if they can reschedule you or refund your payment. You may have to stand in a long line at a service counter, but while in line, you can try rebooking online or calling the airline’s support number. Some travelers use social media to send messages to their specific airline, and if those accounts are monitored, it’s possible you’ll get a response that way. And we like this smart suggestion from PBS — look up your airline’s international support number and call it, because it might be less busy. (At least until word of this trick leaks out.)
When you finally reach an airline employee for help with rebooking, be patient. This isn’t their fault, and they’re more likely to help you if you’re understanding. You’ll have better luck if you’re flexible as far as times and dates, and you might ask to be rebooked on a partner airline, if there’s room. You can also consider canceling your flight and choosing to drive or take some other form of transportation if that fits your circumstances, but of course, if your sister’s wedding is tomorrow, you might not have a choice.
What are the airlines saying?
On Thursday, Delta Airlines said in a statement that it will work to “minimize customer impact” and will allow passengers “additional flexibility” when it comes to changing or canceling flights without penalty. Details on fee waivers are here.
American Airlines made a similar statement about waiving penalties.
“To provide additional flexibility during the impacted travel period, customers whose flights are cancelled for any reason or who choose not to travel will be able to change their flight or request a refund without any penalty,” American said.
A United Airlines statement, directed to employees, followed suit. “Any customer traveling during this period is eligible for a refund if they do not wish to fly — even if their flight isn’t impacted,” the statement said. “That includes non-refundable tickets and those customers with basic economy tickets.”
Southwest has a similar statement that says “all Southwest Customers, with travel booked through Wednesday, November 12, may adjust their travel plans at no cost, or receive a refund if they choose not to travel, regardless of whether their flight is affected.”
If you’re on another airline, best to check their website for a similar notice.
