US officials plan to axe the number of flights at 40 of the country’s busiest airports – potentially resulting in thousands of cancelled flights as they try to ease pressure on air traffic controllers.
Control towers at airports have been grappling with absences of air traffic controllers who are calling out sick or taking side jobs as they work without pay during the federal government shutdown.
Altogether, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are not being paid because lawmakers have not been able to pass a budget. On Wednesday, the funding impasse became the longest shutdown in US history.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday formally announced the list of airports where flights will be cancelled. The cuts won’t apply to international flights, but specific airlines may choose to also axe some of those flights, too, the FAA said.
Several of the largest US airlines have said customers will be allowed to adjust their flights or cancel them preemptively for free.
Here is what we know as the US prepares for the cuts, which will start officially on Friday.
Affected airports include the busiest in the world
- Anchorage International (ANC)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
- Boston Logan International (BOS)
- Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
- Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
- Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)
- Denver International in Colorado (DEN)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
- Newark Liberty International (EWR)
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)
- Honolulu International (HNL)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Washington Dulles International (IAD)
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
- Indianapolis International (IND)
- New York John F Kennedy International (JFK)
- Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS)
- Los Angeles International (LAX)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Orlando International (MCO)
- Chicago Midway (MDW)
- Memphis International (MEM)
- Miami International (MIA)
- Minneapolis/St Paul International (MSP)
- Oakland International (OAK)
- Ontario International in California (ONT)
- Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
- Portland International (PDX)
- Philadelphia International (PHL)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
- San Diego International (SAN)
- Louisville International (SDF)
- Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)
- San Francisco International (SFO)
- Salt Lake City International (SLC)
- Teterboro in New Jersey (TEB)
- Tampa International (TPA)
