Likely airspace shutdown comes two weeks before Thanksgiving holiday, typically the busiest travel period of the year
Likely airspace shutdown comes two weeks before Thanksgiving holiday, typically the busiest travel period of the year
US airline regulators are expected to publish a list of 40 airports serving “high-volume markets” where air traffic will be reduced on Friday, a move that could would force airlines to cancel thousands of flights and create a cascade of scheduling issues and delays at some of nation’s largest airports.
The Federal Administration Agency has said flights are being reduced to maintain safety during the ongoing federal government shutdown, now the longest recorded and with no sign of a resolution between Republicans and Democrats to end the federal budget standoff, now in its 35th day.
Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.
ABC News said it had obtained a list of affected airports, which includes Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, all three New York City-area airports and Chicago O’Hare.
The flight reductions, the outlet reported, will start at 4% on Friday and work up to 10%. The flights impacted by these reductions are scheduled during the hours of 6am to 10pm.
The likely airspace shutdown comes two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday – typically the busiest travel period of the year – and raises pressures on lawmakers to reach a deal to end the shutdown.
