Here’s what travelers need to know about FAA airport flight reductions

Airlines rushed to provide updates to travelers after the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it would do so Reduce flights Across 40 airports as the longest government shutdown in history continues.

Several major airlines said they would waive cancellation fees for even their basic tickets, which often come with penalties for changes.

Transport Minister Sean Duffy previously said he would do so Reduced flight ability By approximately 10%, affecting between 3,500 and 4,000 flights per day. The FAA has not yet announced which “high traffic” airports will be affected.

Duffy said on Wednesday that the reduction was a “proactive” measure due to the delays and cancellations that had already occurred due to the lockdown. Air traffic controllers, who are considered essential employees required to work during the shutdown, have Lost salariesThe closure also raised concerns about already understaffed controllers, the FAA said.

Duffy said he expects more cancellations as a result of the reduction, which has no set end time.

“We thought 10% was the right number based on the pressure we were seeing,” Duffy added.

Earlier this week, Duffy told CNBC:Squawk boxHe could “shut down the entire airspace” if the closure continues.

Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Brian Bedford said Wednesday that additional measures may be implemented after the reduction, which he said was never seen before during his time in the industry. Officials said they intend to meet with airlines to discuss which flights will be cut.

In a Wednesday note to United Airlines employees, CEO Scott Kirby said the airline would not reduce long-haul international flying and hub-to-hub flying, instead reducing regional and domestic flights that do not fly between hubs.

The airline also offered all customers refunds even if their flights were not affected. This includes “non-refundable tickets and customers with basic economy tickets,” Kirby said.

In a statement, Delta Airlines It said it expects to operate the “vast majority” of its flights as scheduled and will offer changes, cancellations or refunds to customers’ flights during the affected period. Delta also said this would include basic economy fares, without penalty.

Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle He said Passengers traveling on Friday or in the next 10 days are highly recommended to book a standby ticket on another airline as flight sales begin to avoid being stranded due to flight cancellations.

“I’m sorry this happened. I hope the lockdown ends soon,” Biffle wrote on LinkedIn. “Just giving everyone practical travel advice.”

American Airlines He said “The vast majority of customer flights will continue as planned,” she expects, adding that the airline will proactively communicate with travelers as schedule changes occur.

The airline also said it will provide instant rebooking options for all affected travelers, and that customers whose flights were canceled for any reason will be able to change their flight or request a refund without penalty. As of Thursday morning, the airline was still waiting for clarification from the Federal Aviation Administration about which flights would be affected.

Southwest Airlines He also released A statement Saying that the majority of its flights will not be affected and that its international flights should operate as usual. The airline said it “will proactively communicate in advance and provide flexibility in travel plans.”

The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, issued a statement on Wednesday urging Congress to end the shutdown so air traffic controllers and TSA workers can get paid.

“The false narrative that this shutdown is a choice to either pay federal employees or protect affordable health care is outrageous when both crises are manufactured by the exact people who can fix them,” the statement read.

Consumers have been buying Travel insurance At a high rate amid the government shutdown, however Travel and insurance experts warn that such policies do not provide blanket protection for lockdown-related travel chaos, and much depends on the fine print.

For example, a policyholder generally cannot receive insurance benefits if he chooses to cancel his travel plans to avoid any problems. Cancellation for any reason coverage is an exception, though it also comes with its own caveats.

Whether or not a policyholder receives compensation may come down to the rationale the airline provides for a delayed or canceled flight.

Many insurance companies only pay benefits if the delay or cancellation is attributable to a “common carrier” malfunction such as a mechanical failure, travel experts said.

“Airlines typically do not cite reasons other than operational terms such as ‘mechanical issues,’ general delays, cancellations, or loss of property, even during a government shutdown,” Lauren McCormick, a spokeswoman for Squaremouth, an online platform for comparing travel insurance policies, wrote in a recent blog post. “Therefore, they are generally still covered under more comprehensive travel insurance plans.”