SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Travelers flying to or from San Diego International Airport could experience flight delays or cancellations starting Friday as the U.S. Department of Transportation began imposing cutbacks in flight capacity at 40 major airports nationally.
The cuts are the result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has led to staffing issues among air-traffic controllers. The controllers are considered essential workers who are instructed to continue working despite the closure, and not receiving paychecks. But U.S. Department of Transportation officials said the issue has led to "staffing triggers" at air traffic facilities nationally, leading to "strain on the system."
The federal agency reported 2,740 flight delays last weekend, with the situation only expected to worsen without a resolution to the government shutdown.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that capacity would be reduced at 40 high-volume airports beginning Friday. According to a DOT statement issued Thursday night, flight capacity at the affected airports will be cut by 4% beginning Friday, ramping up to 6% on Tuesday, 8% next Thursday and 10% by next Friday.
The Federal Aviation Administration is also limiting commercial space launches and reentries to the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time. Parachute operations and photo missions near affected airports were also being prohibited.
San Diego International Airport will all be among the major U.S. hubs impacted by the capacity cuts, but airfields not among the 40 on the list could still see ripple-effect impacts on flight operations.
Full list of U.S. airports impacted: https://www.10news.com/life/travel/atlanta-lax-and-ohare-reportedly-among-airports-facing-cuts-due-to-government-shutdown
"My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety," Duffy said in a statement Thursday night. "This isn't about politics -- it's about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay. It's safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking."
According to the air-travel tracking website FlightAware, 853 flights within, into or out of the United States had been canceled as of mid-morning Friday, compared to 202 all day Thursday.
In San Diego, 27 flights had been canceled as of Friday morning, compared to two cancellations throughout the day Thursday.
Travelers can check San Diego International Airport flight departures and arrivals at https://www.san.org/Flights/Flight-Status.
Airlines have been issuing alerts to passengers to be aware of possible flight impacts.
United Airlines posted a message on its website stating, "We're making updates to our schedule and will let you know if your flight is affected as soon as possible, but anyone flying between Nov. 6 and 13 can request a refund or reschedule for free."
United listed its FAA-mandated flight cancellations though Sunday, Nov. 9 at https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/company/company-info/airline-schedule-reductions.html
Southwest Airlines posted a notice saying "the vast majority" of its customers will not be affected, but said anyone with flights booked through Wednesday can adjust their travel plans at no cost, "or receive a refund if they choose not to travel, regardless of whether their flight is affected."
"We will communicate directly with affected customers as soon as possible," according to Southwest.
Additional information for Southwest passengers can be found at https://www.southwest.com/travel-advisory/#TA_FAA_RESTRICTIONS_251105.
Delta Air Lines also advised customers of flight reductions, and provided guidance for travelers about how they can change or cancel their flights without any financial penalties.
Additional information for Delta customers can be found at https://news.delta.com/delta-cares-customers-reduces-flights-beginning-nov-7-compliance-faa-directive.
The Alaska Air Group, which includes Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, said, “Most of our cancellations are on routes with a higher frequency of flights, allowing most guests to be reaccommodated with as little disruption as possible.”
Read their complete statement at https://news.alaskaair.com/on-the-record/faa-mandated-flight-reductions-and-impacts-to-alaska-air-group.
American Airlines stated on their website, "The FAA has directed that all airlines reduce flight schedules starting Friday, Nov. 7. If your flight is impacted, we will let you know. We're committed to keeping our customers informed and have issued a travel waiver providing additional flexibility for customers traveling between Nov. 6 and 14 so you can change your trip or request a refund online or in the American app."
Access American Airlines' travel alerts at https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-alerts.jsp#flightreduction.
Frontier Airlines stated that it expects most of its flights to operate as planned, but it will communicate with passengers whose travel plans may be impacted by the cuts.
"Customers whose flights are canceled or delayed for more than three hours (domestic flights) or six hours (international flights) are able to rebook or to request a refund," according to the airline.
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