Flight cancellations begin: What to expect

A flurry of flight cancellations began Friday morning after the Trump administration ordered airlines to reduce operations amid staffing shortages inflamed by the record-long government shutdown.

The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday shared a list of 40 major U.S. airports that will reduce flights by 4 percent. By the end of next week, that number could increase to 10 percent if the lapse drags on, according to the administration.

Air traffic controllers have continued to work without pay for weeks, raising concerns for lawmakers and aviation regulators alike as morale starts to fade. Some have started to call out sick, leaving unresolved vacancies for roles that perform crucial safety tasks. 

The move has forced passengers to realign their travel plans as the Thanksgiving holiday inches closer.

“We’re not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said at a press conference Wednesday.

Here’s what you should expect in the coming days:

Delays, cancellations

All commercial airlines have been impacted by the FAA’s directive to reduce flights. More than 1,000 flights across the country were canceled as of Friday morning in an effort to comply with the directive. 

American Airlines expects to cancel 220 flights per day until Monday, while United Airlines says it will cut fewer than 200 trips. Delta Air Lines shared plans to decrease by 170 flights, and Southwest Airlines plans to scrap roughly 120 flights, according to the airlines. 

Technical difficulties and other normal delays and cancellations tack on additional disruptions for travelers.

Save yourself time by checking your airlines’ app ahead of traveling to the airport to ensure your flight is still scheduled to take off. 

Refunds, travel vouchers

Airlines are required to make accommodations for travels whose plans have been disrupted. While not all companies provide compensation for the hiccups, each is required to either rebook, refund or provide travel vouchers to people whose flights are canceled or delayed.

The quickest way to request your preferred option is to speak with a customer service agent at the airport or over the phone. Some people even reach out on social media for quicker response times. 

Domestic phone numbers may be clogged with travelers facing the same issues, so international customer service numbers are recommended for speedy solutions. 

Alternative transportation

As flight delays and cancellations rise, some are turning to buses and trains to get them to their destination. Those who are traveling regionally may find lower ticket fare and improved travel times when evaluating on-the-ground options.

Amtrak is still providing service state-to-state, as are companies such as FlixBus, Megabus and Greyhound. 

In addition to those options, rental car companies are seeing an influx of customers due to stalled flights. Hertz said one-way rentals have spiked by 20 percent.

“We join the airlines in urging Congress to swiftly pass a clean continuing resolution and restore certainty for travelers,” Hertz CEO Gil West wrote, according to The Associated Press. “Every day of delay creates unnecessary disruption.”