An airline industry analyst on Friday suggested the effects of flight capacity reductions across the country are generally small, despite an uptick of delays and cancellations as the government shutdown drags on.
“The airlines are doing their level best to minimize inconvenience and to avoid canceling too many flights at any one time in order to obviously get people where they want to go,” analyst Henry Harteveldt told The Associated Press. “They want to make sure that they have some flexibility.”
“So I’m not hearing of chaos,” he continued. “There’s certainly anxiety. There’s uncertainty. There’s stress. And look, if your flight has been canceled, it’s very disruptive for you.”
But, he added, “I don’t want to minimize the impact.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cut the flight capacity by 4 percent at 40 airports across the U.S. 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 adds reductions, the impact on airports and air travel will continue to grow.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also warned Friday that flight reductions could increase to 20 percent if lawmakers are unable to reach a deal to reopen the government. Cuts are expected to increase incrementally over the next week, reaching 10 percent by Nov. 14.
Speaking at a Breitbart News event on Friday, Duffy said the reductions were not a political move.
“We have worked overtime to make sure that we minimize the impact on the American people,” he said.
The Transportation chief, asked if it will take time to alleviate air traffic issues once the government reopens, said the administration will assess the data before giving “the airlines time to bring those flights back in.”
On Saturday, a total of 1,762 flights were delayed, while 870 flights have been canceled, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. These numbers do not distinguish between those caused by the FAA’s reduction and regular maintenance or weather delays.
With delays and cancellations likely to continue through November, airline passengers may have to realign their travel plans as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.
Travelers impacted by the flight reductions can also contact customer service representatives via phone, email or directly to the airline’s account on the social platform X. Those with canceled or delayed flights can still request a refund under Transportation Department protections, which remain in effect even despite the shutdown.
