An unprecedented order by the Federal Aviation Administration to curtail flights across the country due to a record-long government shutdown took effect Friday morning, and some passengers were scrambling to figure out backup travel plans.
Airlines scrambled to adjust their schedules and began canceling flights Thursday pending an official order from the FAA, while travelers with plans for the weekend and beyond waited nervously to find out if their flights would take off on schedule. Airlines also planned cancellations for the weekend, directing passengers to check apps to find out the status of their flight.
The 40 airports selected by the FAA span more than two dozen states.
The FAA said the reductions will start at 4% and increase to 10% by Nov. 14. They will be in effect from 6am to 10pm and will affect all commercial airlines.
The agency said the cuts were necessary to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for more than a month. Many use six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and more and more of them have started calling in as the financial burden and exhaustion mount.
