Staffing shortages have already caused tens of thousands of flight delays nationwide, with airlines estimating that at least 3.2 million travellers have been affected. (File Representational Photo)
US air travel disruptions live updates: US airlines were scrambling to adjust schedules and handle a surge in passenger queries on Thursday after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced plans to slash flights at some of the country’s busiest airports, Reuters reported. Duffy said the cuts were necessary to address air traffic control safety concerns as the federal government shutdown, now the longest in US history, entered its 37th day. The first round of reductions, affecting about 4 per cent of scheduled flights, is expected to begin on Friday and could rise to 10 per cent next week if the stalemate continues, according to industry officials quoted by Reuters.
FAA cites controller fatigue, safety risks: During a joint briefing with Duffy, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Bryan Bedford said the decision followed reports of fatigue among unpaid air traffic controllers. “It is unusual, just as the shutdown is unusual, just as the fact that our controllers haven’t been paid for a month is unusual,” Bedford said. The FAA oversees more than 44,000 daily flights, and officials warned that cuts could affect both passenger and cargo operations across 40 high-volume airports. The agency, already short by around 3,500 staff, is expected to issue the formal order later on Thursday.
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Major airlines affected: Major carriers including United, American and Southwest Airlines said they were working to minimise disruptions, even as customer service channels were inundated with travel-related queries. United CEO Scott Kirby said the airline would focus cuts on regional and non-hub routes, while Southwest said it was assessing the full impact before notifying passengers. Analysts cautioned that prolonged reductions could hit airline revenues and holiday travel, with Trade Nation’s David Morrison telling Reuters that “the longer this goes on, the more disruption there is and fewer the passengers are going to be flying ultimately.”
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