US flights could soon get slashed if the shutdown continues. Here’s what to know if you’re about to fly

CNN

By Holly Yan, CNN

(CNN) — Millions of Americans expecting to fly this month could have their plans grounded if the government shutdown drags on.

Starting Friday, the Trump administration will reduce flights at 40 airports nationwide if the shutdown continues.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s “Core 30” airports are among those on a preliminary list of sites expected to be impacted, an FAA source with direct knowledge of the situation told CNN.

Here’s what to know if the travel nightmare turns into reality Friday:

Which 40 airports will lose flights?

The “Core 30” high-traffic airports include New York City’s three major hubs and large airports in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle and Washington, DC, the source said.

Another 10 airports across the country are expected to be impacted.

“As we start to implement this drawdown in service, it will be restricted to these 40 high-volume traffic markets,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said. “We’re going to ask the airlines to work with us collaboratively to reduce their schedules.”

How many flights will be cut?

Flight volume will be reduced by 10%, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Thursday. But he did not say whether that’s 10% of the flight volume at the 40 impacted airports, or 10% of all US flights – which would be significantly more.

Either way, a 10% reduction could result in thousands of canceled flights a day – an unprecedented cut.

I have travel plans in the coming days. What should I do?

“If you are flying Friday or in the next ten days and need to be there or don’t want to be stranded I highly recommend booking a backup ticket on another carrier,” Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle posted on Instagram.

“Don’t book a basic ticket. For example, book Economy on Frontier so you can reuse the ticket value as changes are free or you can get a credit,” Biffle wrote. “If your flight is cancelled your chances of being stranded are high so I would simply have a backup ticket on another airline.”

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are both offering waivers to allow passengers who do not want to fly to change their tickets without fees.

It’s also helpful to book directly with an airline instead of through a third-party website. That’s because if your flight gets canceled, you might have to deal with another party to resolve the problem.

And try to avoid booking flights with layovers, the US Public Interest Research Group says. The more planes you have to get on to reach your destination, the more chances there are for a flight to be delayed or canceled.

Why is this happening?

The government shutdown, which started on October 1, has prevented many federal employees from getting paid.

Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration screeners are considered essential employees during the shutdown and are expected to go to work. But they’re not getting paid, and some have needed to find other sources of income to pay the bills.

More than 400 staffing shortages have been reported at FAA facilities since the shutdown began, according to a CNN analysis.

If airports are short-staffed, is it still safe to fly?

The longer the shutdown drags on, the more risks could emerge – especially as controllers go longer without pay, a union leader said earlier this week. But federal officials say reducing the number of flights will improve safety.

“We’re supposed to go to work and be 100%, 100% of the time. I’m going to work right now, and I’m thinking about, how do I pay my rent?” said Nick Daniels, the president of the union.

“Every single day that this goes on, tomorrow is now less safe than today,” Daniels told CNN earlier this week.

But the newly announced flight cuts will help maintain safety, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.

“THIS is safety management, the very foundation of our aviation system, and it’s the right thing to do,” National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy posted on X.

“NTSB has repeatedly stated low air traffic control staffing levels, mandatory overtime, and six-day work weeks have a direct impact on #safety.”

CNN’s Pete Muntean, Alexandra Skores, Forrest Brown and Aaron Cooper contributed to this report.

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