Flight Cancellations Rise as Government Shutdown impacts Air Travel

Hundreds of flights at teh busiest airports in the U.S. are being canceled this weekend as airlines reduce air service due to the ongoing government shutdown.

While the government-ordered slowdown across the airline industry that began Friday hasn’t caused widespread disruptions yet, analysts warn the situation will worsen and extend beyond air travel if cancellations increase, especially as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.

Concerns are growing about the impact on tourism-dependent cities and businesses, as well as potential shipping interruptions that could delay holiday deliveries.

How many flights have been canceled?

FlightAware, a flight tracking website, reports over 1,000 flights were canceled on the first day of the Federal Aviation Governance’s slowdown. Over 700 flights were canceled on Saturday, a typically slow travel day.

These numbers represent a small fraction of total flights nationwide, but are expected to rise if the slowdown persists. The FAA stated reductions impacting all commercial airlines are starting at 4% of flights at 40 targeted airports and will increase to 10% over the next week.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Friday that further flight cuts may be necessary if the government shutdown continues and more air traffic controllers are furloughed.