Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is heading into a busy Monday for air travel after being hit by mass flight cancellations over the weekend.
On top of flight cuts mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration and attributed to the government shutdown, unplanned cancellations hit hundreds more flights over the weekend because of staffing shortages of air traffic controllers and thunderstorms Saturday.
As the government shutdown passes the 40-day mark, air travel is struggling as the impact causes hassles and uncertainty for travelers, disruptions for airlines and even less wiggle room than normal to recover from problems like storms. A bipartisan spending bill that emerged Sunday could soon lead to a reopening of the government.
Here’s what is happening with flights in Atlanta:
Flight cancellations
More than 180 flights into and out of have been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for Monday, according to flightaware.com.
The cancellations include flights to Atlanta from Orlando, Florida, Asheville, North Carolina, Boston, New York’s LaGuardia and dozens of other airports.
Flights from Atlanta to New York’s John F. Kennedy International, Chicago O’Hare, Albany, Georgia, and dozens of other cities have also been canceled.
Mandated flight cuts
Dozens of the cancellations are driven by cuts mandated by the FAA in response to the strain on air traffic controllers from the government shutdown. The controllers have been working for nearly five weeks without pay.
Airlines started cutting traffic Friday to help FAA maintain safety.
The FAA said last week the reductions would start at 4% last Friday, increase to 6% Tuesday, 8% by Thursday and 10% by this Friday.
And U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the cuts could go up to 20% if the shutdown doesn’t end soon.
Even travelers whose flights are not canceled may encounter delays because of air traffic controller staffing shortages and the domino effect of flight disruptions on crews and aircraft.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Recovery from the weekend
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines canceled more than 230 flights Monday and its regional connection partners have also canceled flights for the day.
This comes after Delta canceled more than 380 flights Saturday and more than 470 flights Sunday across the country.
On Saturday, nearly 30 flights to Atlanta were diverted to other airports, according to Delta.
Delta said its Saturday flight cancellations caused airplanes to be out of position, while flight crews had to work extra hours that trigger required crew rest time. That, in turn, disrupted more flights scheduled for Sunday.
Staffing issues contributed to 71% of delay minutes Saturday, according to industry group Airlines for America, citing an analysis of FAA data.
Airlines’ ability to recover from disruptions will be worsened as the FAA-mandated flight cuts ramp up, because there will be fewer available seats to rebook passengers whose flights were canceled, A4A said.
If you’re flying soon …
Delta said travelers should check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Delta is allowing travelers with flights booked through Nov. 14 to cancel their trips and get refunds or rebook flights by Nov. 21.
Other airlines have also put in place policies for refunds or flight changes.
If you’re traveling during the government shutdown, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan in case your flight gets delayed or canceled. Keep necessities like medication in your carry-on bags.
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