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Sacramento International Airport said it may see some ripple effects after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a reduction in flights across the country to cope with the government shutdown and federal air traffic controllers working without pay. According to FlightAware, six SMF departures are canceled for Friday, and five arrivals are canceled. It's unclear whether those cancellations are directly tied to the reduction in flights, as Sacramento is not one of the 40 cities the FAA is targeting. The number of departures canceled is higher in other cities, such as Chicago at 40, Atlanta at 37, Denver at 34, and Los Angeles at 27. The FAA ordered a reduction of 4% of flights starting Friday and deepening that reduction to 10% next week. SMF has non-stop flights to 13 of the 40 cities the FAA is targeting for restricted flights. "While Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is not currently subject to FAA flight operation limits, travelers may experience delays or schedule adjustments due to FAA restrictions at other airports," SMF said in a statement. "Airline schedules may change to accommodate national airspace management needs." The goal is to take pressure off unpaid federal air traffic controllers. The FAA reports a surge in callouts in recent weeks. Doug Rice is a retired commercial pilot and vice president of the California Pilots Association. He says airlines are likely trying to bring on their bigger planes to accommodate more passengers on fewer flights. "Now the main thing is to maximize the number of seats on each route for the given number of flights," Rixe said. "If they can upscale the size of the aircraft, that will help them out." Rice said early November air travel is typically light, but if the government shutdown stretches into the weekend before Thanksgiving, the disruption will turn into disorder. SMF is urging passengers to check directly with their airline for current flight status and itinerary updates before heading to the airport.
