JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As travelers nationwide wait to learn the specific impacts of the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to cut some flights during the government shutdown, Jacksonville Aviation Authority officials are urging local travelers to check with their airlines ahead of their trips.
On Wednesday, the FAA announced it would be reducing air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety during the ongoing government shutdown. While the list of airports hasn’t been released, Michael Stewart, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s vice president of external affairs, told News4JAX on Thursday that “the entire system will be impacted” by the cuts.
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Stewart encouraged passengers at Jacksonville International Airport to check with their airlines and plan ahead.
“It is important that travelers check with their airline for any impact these changes may have on their scheduled flight,” Stewart said.
The FAA is expected to announce on Thursday the specific airports where it is reducing flights by 10% before the cuts go into effect Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the airspace safe during the shutdown, the agency said.
Experts predict hundreds, if not thousands, of flights could be canceled.
“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”
Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.
Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said Wednesday at a news conference.
“We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes.
Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.
The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.
Duffy said some controllers can get by missing one paycheck, but not two or more. And he has said some controllers are even struggling to pay for transportation to work.
During weekends from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.
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Associated Press journalist Christopher L. Keller contributed from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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