An airline industry analyst suggested Friday that the impact of flight capacity cuts nationwide is generally small. Increase in delays and cancellations As the government shutdown is getting longer.
“Airlines are doing their best to minimize inconvenience and avoid canceling too many flights at the same time to get people where they want to go,” analyst Henry Harteveldt told The Associated Press. “They want to make sure they have some flexibility.”
“So I’m not hearing about anarchy,” he added. “There’s definitely anxiety. There’s uncertainty. There’s stress. And look, if your flight is canceled, that’s very disruptive to you.”
But, he added, “I don’t want to minimize the impact.”
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cuts flight capacity by 4 percent 40 airports Throughout the US as a safety measure. Staffing shortages have plagued the industry as the shutdown forces many air traffic controllers to work without pay, including mandatory overtime.
Harteveldt told the AP that as the FAA makes cuts, the impact on airports and air travel will continue to grow.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy also warned on Friday that flight cuts could extend to 20 per cent if MPs are unable to reach an agreement on reopening the government. expected to be cut gradually increase In the next week, it will reach 10 percent by November 14.
Speaking on a Breitbart News program on Friday, Duffy said the cuts were not a political move.
“We have worked overtime to ensure that we minimize the impact on the American people,” he said.
The transportation chief, asked whether it would take time to ease air traffic issues after the government reopens, said the administration would “assess the data before giving airlines time to get those flights back.”
A total of 1,762 flights were delayed on Saturday, while 870 were cancelled, according to the flight-tracking website.flight AwareThese figures do not distinguish between FAA outages and figures caused by routine maintenance or weather delays.
With delays and cancellations likely to continue through November, airline travelers may have to Rearrange your travel plans In form of thanksgiving holiday Approach.
Passengers affected by flight reductions can contact customer service representatives by phone, email or directly through the airline’s account on social platform X. Passengers with canceled or delayed flights can still contact Request a Refund Under the protection of the Transport Department, which will remain in effect despite the shutdown.
