US Airlines Cancel Over 2,500 โWeekend Flights as Shutdown Impacts Air Travel
WASHINGTONโ – More than 2,500 flightsโ within, into, โor out of the United โStates were canceled over the weekend as a partial government shutdown entered itsโข third day, disrupting travel plans โfor thousands and raising concerns about broader economic impacts. The cancellations,โฃ primarily affecting flights on Friday and Saturday, stemmed from increased air traffic control delays and staffing โconcerns, though longerโค internationalโข flights have soโ far remained uninterrupted.
The disruptions highlight โขthe vulnerability of the nation’s air travel system to government shutdowns.While airlines were largely able toโ reschedule flights โimpacted on Friday, uncertainty remains regarding future cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is operating โคwith a reduced workforce, leading toโ slowdowns and impacting flight schedules.
Heather โXu, 46, found herself stranded in Miami after a cruise while attempting toโฃ return to Puerto Rico. “Travel is stressful enough,” she said. “then youโค putโ these disruptions โin place, and it really makes everything more challenging.”
Rental car companies reported a โsurge in โone-way reservations Friday,โ and some travelers opted to cancel flights altogether. Diana Alvear ofโ Bridgewater, โNew Jersey, canceled her family’s planned trip to California next weekend, citing worries about flying with understaffedโค and overworked air traffic controllers. United Airlinesโข provided โa โขcredit forโค the airfare, but Alvear’s family stillโข faces a $700 lossโค on a non-refundable Airbnb deposit. “Thisโ has been costly to us, and it’sโฃ a huge disappointment for usโ and our family,” she stated. “It’s really โคweighing on our hearts that we had to do this.”
Beyond โฃpassenger travel, the โdisruptions couldโข lead to higher prices for goods as nearlyโฃ half ofโ U.S. air freight is transported in theโ cargo holds โof passenger planes. patrick Penfield, aโฃ professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University, warned that increased shipping costs could be passed on to consumers.
Greg Raiff, CEO โof Elevate Aviation โฃGroup, emphasized theโข wider economic consequences. “thisโข shutdown is going to impact everything from cargo aircraft to people getting to business meetings to tourists being able toโค travel,”โค Raiff said.โฃ “It’s going to hit the hotel taxes and โcity taxes. There’s โa โขcascading effect thatโ results fromโ this โฃthing.”
