As dozens of major airports across the country are being directed to cut air traffic due to the federal shutdown, airlines will have to figure out how to meet both the demands of the government but also the demands of their passengers. At the same time, we are weeks away from the start of the busy holiday travel season.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced it would reduce air traffic in “high-volume” markets to ensure safety as staffing issues hit air traffic control locations. Controllers are not getting paid during the shutdown, but are still expected to work, so they have been calling off, The Associated Press reported.
So far, they have missed a full paycheck, and if the shutdown continues, they will miss a second full pay next week.
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While the FAA is ordering the traffic cuts, the airlines are the ones who will make it happen.
Here is a rundown of what each airline has shared with customers.
American Airlines: Flight reductions start Friday, but expect most travelers’ plans not to be affected. The company will contact customers who are impacted. The company will allow changes for canceled flights or refunds without a penalty. For more information, click here.
Delta Air Lines: The airline provided a list of impacted cities, saying that the affected travel dates would be from Nov. 7 to 9 and that a ticket must be reissued on or before Nov. 16, with travel must begin no later than the same date. Fare differences will be waived if travel happens on or before Nov. 16 and the seat is the same level as previously booked. After Nov. 16, a difference in price may apply. For more information, click here.
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Frontier Airlines: Frontier said that most of its flights will operate as planned, but when a flight change is necessary, the company will alert passengers. If a domestic flight is delayed for more than three hours (or six hours for international flights) or is canceled, passengers can rebook or request a refund. For more information, click here.
JetBlue: The company will contact passengers using information from the reservation. Most impacted flights will be rebooked on the next available flight. If a flight is canceled or a passenger decides not to travel, the flight will be refunded. For more information, click here.
Southwest Airlines: “Southwest Airlines is evaluating how the planned FAA flight reductions will affect our schedule and will communicate directly with Customers as soon as possible,” the company said on its website. In most cases, when a flight needs to be rebooked, the company will do so automatically, and the passenger will be told. If the new itinerary does not work, a passenger can rebook or cancel the flight. For more information, click here.
United Airlines: Flight reductions start Friday. The company will alert passengers in advance via the app, website or text. The potentially affected flights were slated to take off between Nov. 6 and 13. For more information, click here.