URGENT UPDATE: The House of Representatives is set to vote this afternoon on a crucial funding bill aimed at ending the government shutdown that is disrupting air travel nationwide. Thousands of travelers are currently experiencing significant delays and cancellations at major airports as lawmakers negotiate a resolution.
As of Wednesday morning, LaGuardia Airport reported a staggering 4% of its flights canceled, while both Newark Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport are facing 4% and 2% cancellations, respectively. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that while commercial aviation has been operating relatively smoothly over the past two days, the situation could worsen dramatically in the coming days.
“If this shutdown continues, we could see severe disruptions by this weekend, potentially as early as Friday,” Duffy warned. He emphasized that airlines may have to ground flights altogether if a resolution isn’t reached soon. “We might find airlines that have to make decisions; do they keep flying? If this doesn’t open, you might have airlines that say, ‘We’re going to ground our planes. We’re not going to fly anymore.’ That’s how serious this is.”
Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is operating under a 6% flight reduction mandate, which is scheduled to escalate to 10% by Friday. Although air traffic controllers will receive back pay within 24 to 48 hours once the government reopens, the impact of the shutdown has already been felt deeply. Federal workers are going without pay, and nearly 42 million Americans relying on SNAP benefits are left in limbo.
Duffy confirmed that while most major airports are experiencing flight reductions, the situation at LaGuardia remains particularly concerning, with cancellations hitting 11% of scheduled flights. He stated, “We would see significant disruption coming this next weekend.”
Travelers are advised to stay alert and monitor flight statuses closely as the situation develops. Even after the shutdown ends, experts warn that it may take several days for air travel operations to return to normal levels.
As this situation unfolds, the urgency for lawmakers to reach a compromise has never been more critical. The implications of a prolonged shutdown extend beyond air travel, affecting millions of Americans and the broader economy.
Stay tuned as we continue to provide updates on this developing story.
