Copyright Mechanicsburg Patriot News
By RIO YAMAT, AP Airlines and Travel Writer Travelers through some of the busiest U.S. airports can expect to see fewer flights as the government shutdown drags into a second month. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will announce the 40 “high-volume markets” where it is reducing flights by 10% starting Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the air space safe during the shutdown, the agency said. 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 has an early list of all the airports affected. They include: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Boston Logan International Baltimore/Washington International Ronald Reagan Washington National Dallas/Fort Worth International Newark Liberty International Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Washington Dulles International New York John F. Kennedy International Las Vegas McCarran International Los Angeles International New York LaGuardia Orlando International Chicago O`Hare International Philadelphia International San Francisco International “I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.” Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out. Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said Wednesday at a news conference. “We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that two security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport run by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration were closed starting Wednesday. Airport spokesperson Heather Redfern on Tuesday said the closures were being made at the request of the TSA, which is being affected by the federal government shutdown.
