The slowdown at many of the nation’s busiest airports did not cause immediate, widespread disruption. But it compounded the impact felt by the nation’s longest federal shutdown.
“We all travel. We all have a place to be,” said Emmy Holguin, 36, who was flying from Miami to visit family in the Dominican Republic. “I hope the government can take care of it.”
Analysts warn that the upheaval will intensify and extend well beyond air travel if cancellations continue to grow and extend into Thanksgiving week.
There are already concerns about the pressure on tourist destinations and holiday shipping.
Here’s what you need to know about flight discounts:
How many flights have been canceled?
Cancellations jumped Saturday — typically a slow travel day — to more than 1,500, after just over 1,000 the day before, according to tracking site FlightAware. By the evening, American airlines had already canceled more than 1,000 additional flights for Sunday.
Airports in Atlanta and Chicago, as well as Charlotte, North Carolina, and Newark, New Jersey, experienced numerous disruptions throughout the day. Persistent understaffing at radar centers and control towers has added to cancellations and delays at several East Coast airports, including those around New York City.
Not all cancellations were due to the FAA’s order, and those numbers represented only a small portion of overall flights nationwide. But they will certainly increase in the coming days if the slowdown continues.
The FAA said reductions affecting all commercial airlines started at 4% of flights at 40 targeted airports and will be increased again on Tuesday before reaching 10% on Friday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned this week that even deeper cuts may be needed if the shutdown continues and more air traffic controllers are unemployed.
Why are flights canceled?
Controllers went without pay for nearly a month during the shutdown, leading many people to call in sick and worsening already existing staffing shortages.
Most work mandatory overtime six days a week without pay, and some take second jobs to pay the bills, the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers said.
On Saturday, the union said it delivered 1,600 handwritten letters from its members to Congress calling for an end to the shutdown.
How are passengers affected?
Most were relieved that airlines largely stuck to their schedules Friday, and those whose flights were canceled were able to quickly rebook. So far, longer international flights have not been interrupted.
There is still a lot of uncertainty about which upcoming flights will be canceled.
And not everyone can afford a hotel or deal with a last-minute disruption, said Heather Xu, 46, who was in Miami on Saturday after a cruise and flew back to Puerto Rico.
“Travel is stressful enough. Then you put these disruptions in place, and it really makes everything harder,” she said.
Rental car companies reported a sharp increase in one-way bookings Friday, and some people canceled their flights altogether.
Diana Alvear of Bridgewater, New Jersey, canceled her family’s trip next weekend to see her in-laws in California because of concerns about flying when controllers work long hours and are short-staffed.
She was also nervous about getting stuck, which would be “a huge debacle” for her work. United Airlines gave her credit for the plane ticket, but the family is still nearly $700 short of the deposit on an Airbnb.
“It took a toll on us and it’s a huge disappointment for us and our family,” Alvear said. “It really weighs on our hearts to have to do this.”
What could be the impacts beyond air transport?
First, there is a risk of higher prices at stores, since nearly half of U.S. air cargo is shipped in the holds of passenger planes.
Major flight disruptions could lead to higher shipping costs that would be passed on to consumers, said Patrick Penfield, a professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University.
Further losses will ripple through the economy if the downturn continues, from tourism to manufacturing, said Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group.
“This shutdown is going to impact everything from cargo planes to people going to business meetings to tourists who can travel,” Raiff said. “It’s going to affect hotel taxes and occupancy taxes. There’s a cascading effect that comes from this thing.”
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Associated Press journalists Cody Jackson in Miami, Paul Wiseman in Washington, Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska and Anne D’Innocenzio in New York contributed.
