FAA readies to list airports getting reduced flights during the government shutdown

Travelers through chosen of the busiest U S airports can expect to learn Thursday whether they ll see fewer flights as the governing body shutdown drags into a second month The Federal Aviation Administration will announce the high-volume markets where it is reducing flights by before the cuts go into effect Friday commented agency administrator Bryan Bedford The move is intended to keep the air space safe during the shutdown the agency stated Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled I m not aware in my -year history in the aviation arena where we ve had a situation where we re taking these kinds of measures Bedford announced Wednesday We re in new territory in terms of executive shutdowns Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct Greater part 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 noted Wednesday at a news conference We can t ignore it he noted adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday the FAA wouldn t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declined during the news conference to name the cities and airports where they will slow air traffic saying they wished to first meet with airline executives to figure out how to safely implement the reductions Major airlines aviation unions and the broader progress industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown which on Wednesday became the longest on record The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and forcing hard operational decisions that disrupt movement and damage confidence in the U S air trip experience reported U S Expedition Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a announcement Duffy warned on Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies if the shutdown drags on long enough for air traffic controllers to miss their second full paycheck next week Duffy mentioned several controllers can get by missing one paycheck but not two or more And he has noted particular controllers are even struggling to pay for transportation to work Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers but they don t constantly lead to flight disruptions Throughout October flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary But the past weekend brought particular of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown From Friday to Sunday evening at least air traffic control facilities communicated prospective staffing limits according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system The figure which is likely an undercount is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown During weekends from Jan to Sept the average number of airport towers regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that informed prospective staffing issues was according to the AP analysis But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began the average more than tripled to facilities