US Flight Cuts Begin Today: 40 Airports Impacted; Airlines Issue Advisory — Details Here

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s order mandating flight cuts across the United States starts on Friday, which will result in an initial 4% reduction in flight operations. It will increase to 10% by Nov. 14 as the FAA has cited safety concerns caused by the ongoing government shutdown and limited air traffic control staffing.

According to FlightAware data cited by Mint, more than 700 flights have been removed so far, with the airlines scrambling to update schedules and inform passengers. The cuts are set to affect 40 major airports, including those in New York, Chicago and Washington.

It is being reported that prominent locations such as Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas among others, will also suffer the impact of the flight cuts.

1. Anchorage International in Alaska

2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in Georgia

3. Boston Logan International in Massachusetts

4. Baltimore/Washington International in Maryland

5. Charlotte Douglas International in North Carolina

6. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International in Kentucky

7. Dallas Love Field in Texas

8. Ronald Reagan Washington National in Virginia

9. Denver International in Colorado

10. Dallas/Fort Worth International in Texas

11. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County in Michigan

12. Newark Liberty International in New Jersey

13. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International in Florida

14. Honolulu International in Hawaii

15. Houston Hobby in Texas

16. Washington Dulles International in Virginia

17. George Bush Houston Intercontinental in Texas

18. Indianapolis International in Indiana

19. John F. Kennedy International in New York

20. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas

21. Los Angeles International in California

22. LaGuardia Airport in New York

23. Orlando International in Florida

24. Chicago Midway International in Illinois

25. Memphis International in Tennessee

26. Miami International in Florida

27. Minneapolis/St Paul International in Minnesota

28. Oakland International in California

29. Ontario International in California

30. Chicago O`Hare International in Illinois

31. Portland International in Oregon

32. Philadelphia International in Pennsylvania

33. Phoenix Sky Harbor International in Arizona

34. San Diego International in California

35. Louisville International in Kentucky

36. Seattle/Tacoma International in Washington

37. San Francisco International in California

38. Salt Lake City International in Utah

39. Teterboro in New Jersey

40. Tampa International in Florida

International flights are not affected by the FAA’s flight cuts, Reuters reported. The order targets only domestic air travel. However, Bloomberg noted this could change in the coming days. 

Normally, passengers can claim a full refund if their flight is cancelled and they refuse the airline’s alternative option. However, a Bloomberg report added that most airlines have not clarified the refund status as of now.

American Airlines said its long-haul international flights will operate normally. Domestically, it has cancelled 220 flights daily from Friday to Monday. 

Delta Air Lines issued a travel advisory warning of possible disruptions due to FAA capacity restrictions. It urged travellers to check flight status frequently. 

On its website, United Airlines issued a travel alert with affected airports and offered waivers for tickets bought by 4 November, covering flights that were scheduled between Nov. 6 and 13. Passengers can reschedule or cancel their tickets for a full refund. Tickets after Nov. can be rescheduled without fees, but passengers will need to pay the fare difference. 

Southwest Airlines issued a waiver for travel between Nov. 7 to 12, allowing rebooking or standby within 14 days without extra fare. Cancelled flights are rebooked automatically, but passengers can rebook themselves or request a refund if preferred.

Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines issued a travel waiver for trips booked Nov. 7 to 10, allowing rebooking until Nov. 17 without extra fees.

JetBlue has issued a travel advisory for 20 cities. Travellers with flights from Nov. 6–10 can rebook without fees until Nov.19, it said.

Similar advisories were issued by other airlines.