Copyright KABC-TV
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Travelers across Southern California kept a close eye on their flights Friday morning as the Federal Aviation Administration's order to scale back flights nationwide due to the government shutdown went into effect. The 40 airports selected by the FAA span more than two dozen states and include hubs like Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Los Angeles. A closer look at FAA order's impact on California No state will feel the impact more than California. San Diego International Airport (SAN), OAK Oakland International Airport (OAK) and SFO San Francisco International Airport (SFO) also made the list, bringing the total number of California airports impacted to five. "United said coming back into L.A., they're going to try to keep a lot of the flights open ... keeping my fingers crossed that happens," said one traveler who spoke with Eyewitness News on Friday. FAA reduction order explained The FAA said the reductions would start at 4% and ramp up to 10% by Nov. 14. They are to be in effect between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and impact all commercial airlines. The agency said the cutbacks are necessary to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for more than a month. Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers of them have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount. The order comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Democrats in Congress to end the shutdown. Airlines said they would try to minimize impact on customers. Some planned to focus on slashing routes to and from small and medium-size cities. What do I do if my flight is canceled? Airlines directed passengers with weekend travel plans to check their apps to get the latest on their flight status. Carriers are required to refund customers whose flights are canceled but not to cover secondary costs such as food and hotel accommodations unless a delay or cancellation results from a contributing factor that is within the control of the airlines, according to the Department of Transportation. Industry analyst Henry Harteveldt warned that the reductions will "have a noticeable impact across the U.S. air transportation system." The cuts could also slow package service as two airports on the list are major distribution centers for delivery companies: FedEx in Memphis, Tennessee, and UPS in Louisville, Kentucky, the site of this week's deadly cargo plane crash. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
