Staff shortages at US air traffic control centres, coupled with a Federal Aviation Administration-mandated 4 percent flight reduction at 40 major airports, led to over 2,000 flight cancellations from Friday through Sunday.
The flight cancellations mark the latest and possibly largest disruption to US air travel since the government shutdown began over a month ago.
The Federal Aviation Administration-mandated flight cuts start at 4 percent this weekend and are set to rise to 6 percent by November 11, 8 percent by November 13, and 10 percent by November 14.
SkyWest, Southwest, and Envoy Air saw the highest flight cancellations, while United, Delta, and American Airlines also experienced major delays, FlightAware reported.
Airlines must gradually expand flight reductions over the coming week, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning cuts could reach 20 percent if the government shutdown continues.
Increasing capacity cuts
Speaking to Fox News, Duffy blamed the government shutdown for worsening staffing shortages, as he argued that "the problem we really have is air traffic controllers aren't being paid, and they're being forced to take secondary jobs again, whether it's waiting tables or driving Uber instead of coming to towers and doing their day jobs."
He warned of escalating capacity cuts. "If this shutdown doesn't end relatively soon, the consequence of that is going to be more controllers don't come to work. And then we're going to have to continue to assess the pressure in the airspace and make decisions that may, again, move us from 10 percent to 15 percent maybe to 20."
Urging Congress to resolve the shutdown quickly, he said: "Let's end the shutdown, and let Congress debate their issues. But let's not hold the American people hostage and air travellers hostage by the shutdown that's gone on to a historic level right now."
Even if the government reopens immediately, Duffy noted that it could take days for controllers to return and airlines to restore full flight schedules.
The shutdown, which began October 1, has halted pay for federal employees, including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, who remain on duty without pay.
The Trump administration has cited air traffic control problems as Republicans try to pressure Senate Democrats to back what they call a "clean" government funding bill with no strings attached. Democrats blame the shutdown on a Republican refusal to negotiate over health insurance subsidies that will expire at the end of this year.
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Source: TRT