US Airlines Brace for Third Day of Government-Mandated Flight Cuts
Major airlines prepare for a third consecutive day of flight reductions due to air traffic control staffing shortages.
WASHINGTON: Major US airlines are bracing for a third day of government-mandated flight cuts, stemming from ongoing air traffic control staffing shortages that have already severely impacted the nation's airspace.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated these reductions by instructing airlines to cut four percent of daily flights at 40 major airports starting on Friday.
This directive is part of a series of measures designed to address safety concerns due to the prolonged shutdown, which has reached a record 40 days and resulted in significant shortages of air traffic controllers, who, like other federal employees, have not been paid for weeks.
The FAA announced that staffing shortages are affecting 42 airport towers and other centers, leading to flight delays in at least 12 major US cities including Atlanta, Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.
On Saturday alone, the disruptions led to the cancellation of 1,550 flights and delayed approximately 6,700 more.
In comparison, on Friday, 1,025 flights were canceled, and 7,000 faced delays.
Airline officials have expressed grave concerns about the system's ability to function if these staffing issues worsen.
They note that the high number of delay programs makes it nearly impossible to schedule and plan flights effectively.
The cuts, which commenced on Friday morning, particularly affect the four largest carriers: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.
These airlines are expected to cancel a similar number of flights on Sunday.
During this government shutdown, 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners have been compelled to work without pay.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that it's possible he could order up to 20 percent cuts in air traffic if more controllers stop reporting for duty due to the ongoing labor disputes.
Additionally, Senator Ted Cruz has reported receiving information from the FAA indicating that since the shutdown began, pilots have filed over 500 safety reports detailing mistakes made by fatigued air traffic controllers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated these reductions by instructing airlines to cut four percent of daily flights at 40 major airports starting on Friday.
This directive is part of a series of measures designed to address safety concerns due to the prolonged shutdown, which has reached a record 40 days and resulted in significant shortages of air traffic controllers, who, like other federal employees, have not been paid for weeks.
The FAA announced that staffing shortages are affecting 42 airport towers and other centers, leading to flight delays in at least 12 major US cities including Atlanta, Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.
On Saturday alone, the disruptions led to the cancellation of 1,550 flights and delayed approximately 6,700 more.
In comparison, on Friday, 1,025 flights were canceled, and 7,000 faced delays.
Airline officials have expressed grave concerns about the system's ability to function if these staffing issues worsen.
They note that the high number of delay programs makes it nearly impossible to schedule and plan flights effectively.
The cuts, which commenced on Friday morning, particularly affect the four largest carriers: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.
These airlines are expected to cancel a similar number of flights on Sunday.
During this government shutdown, 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners have been compelled to work without pay.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that it's possible he could order up to 20 percent cuts in air traffic if more controllers stop reporting for duty due to the ongoing labor disputes.
Additionally, Senator Ted Cruz has reported receiving information from the FAA indicating that since the shutdown began, pilots have filed over 500 safety reports detailing mistakes made by fatigued air traffic controllers.
