Copyright Chicago Sun-Times
Flight operations at O’Hare International Airport appeared smooth Friday morning, hours into the the Federal Aviation Administration’s unprecedented flight cuts amid a prolonged government shutdown and shortage of air traffic controllers. But some travelers were still aggravated, caught unaware by last-minute flight cancellations — which affected 4% of all U.S. flights Friday — and scrambling to re-book on another flight. “I’m frustrated,” said Jade Virdi, 29, as she returned from a business trip to Milwaukee. American Airlines canceled her flight around 9 p.m. Thursday. She rushed to re-booked another American flight four hours earlier. She said she sympathizes with the air traffic controllers, who have been working unpaid since Oct. 1. “If I wasn’t getting paid, I wouldn’t want to work either,” she said. The FAA on Friday cut 4% of flights at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, and plans to increase cuts to 10% by next Friday. Airlines said they are being strategic about cuts to affect and avoiding cancellations between connecting hubs. United Airlines, the largest carrier at O’Hare, said the cuts amounted to roughly 20 round-trip flights on Friday, but would rise to 50 flights next Friday. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has said the flight cuts were needed to address increased staffing pressures and safety reports indicating growing fatigue among air traffic controllers. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said he did not want to wait until the situation reached a crisis point. Travelers flying out of Chicago on Thursday told the Sun-Times they were anxious to find out if their return flights would be canceled. The majority of travelers at O’Hare did not have their flights canceled, according to a random sampling by a Sun-Times reporters Friday morning. One man said his security experience in Atlanta was his best every — thanks in part to the reduced flights. “It was probably the best experience I ever had,” said Peter Huskings, 49, who came to Chicago to celebrate his 50th birthday.
