Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
An increasing number of flights at Philadelphia International Airport were delayed or canceled Saturday, the second day of a federal order reducing air traffic. By early evening, he airport had seen 198 delays and 46 cancellations, according to data from flight data tracking website FlightAware. American Airlines, which operates about 75% of PHL’s flights, appeared to be the most affected, with 13 cancellations and 84 delays, FlightAware data indicated. “We remind passengers to check with their airline for the latest flight delay and cancellation information,” PHL spokesperson Heather Redfern said. Those numbers were an increase over flight disruptions from Friday, which marked the first day of the FAA’s government shutdown-related reduction order. On Friday, PHL experienced 147 delays and 30 cancellations, according to data from FlightAware. U.S. airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights nationwide Saturday, which was roughly in line with the number of cancellations Friday, according to the Associated Press. The disruptions are being phased in. Per the FAA’s mandate, commercial airlines were required on Saturday to reduce flights by 4% at a list of 40 of the busiest airports around the country, including PHL. Not all the cancellations reported Saturday were a result of the FAA’s order, and were only a fraction of the flights in the country. Commercial airline flight cuts are slated to increase again Tuesday, and reach the FAA’s targeted 10% overall reduction Friday. The FAA mandated the reductions earlier in the week, citing a staffing shortage of air traffic controllers, who have gone without paychecks for about a month. That has led some to call out from work, prompting staffing shortages that have manifested in flight delays at airports around the country. Reducing the number of flights nationwide is intended to relieve some pressure on air traffic controllers and maintain safe air travel. Most controllers are working mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, and some are taking second jobs to pay their bills, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said. In Philadelphia, roughly 1,700 badged federal employees work at the airport, including air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration workers, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees. On Wednesday, two TSA checkpoints at PHL closed, leading the agency to recommend passengers arrive at the airport at least two hours early. Despite the slowdown, the decrease in flights has so far not resulted in more widespread disruptions. Following news of the FAA’s mandate earlier this week, some airlines said they expected minimal issues, and indicated that affected customers would be notified of changes and cancellations. This article contains information from the Associated Press.
