Air travel disruptions continued Thursday as officials warned that cancellations and delays could persist even after the end of the government shutdown. More than 990 U.S. flights were canceled as of 9 a.m. ET, according to the tracking site FlightAware.
The Department of Transportation on Wednesday night announced that 6% of scheduled flights at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports will remain canceled on Thursday, rolling back the initial plan to increase cancellations to 8% on Thursday.
“I think we’ll be back a lot faster than people think,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview Thursday on “CBS Mornings,” noting that the last few days have already started getting better.
“As soon as the Senate deal on Monday got approved, staffing levels almost overnight improved dramatically. So, last couple of days, the only cancellations that Delta had were the government-mandated cancellations … which is mostly on our smaller planes. And I expect by the weekend we’re pretty much going to be full, full steam ahead.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy also said there has been a decline in air traffic controller callouts since the weekend. He said it’s a good sign that airlines may soon be able to resume normal operations.
“The FAA safety team is encouraged to see our air traffic control staffing surge, and they feel comfortable with pausing the reduction schedule to give us time to review the airspace,” Duffy said in a statement. “The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first.”
Bastian said millions of people planning Thanksgiving travel two weeks from now should have nothing to worry about.
“Thanksgiving is going to be a great holiday period to travel,” he said.
Tuesday had fewer flight delays and cancellations than previous days. Air traffic control towers reported minimal staffing shortages with only 11 staffing triggers, or times when the air traffic controller levels fell below planned minimums, compared to the 81 that occurred on Saturday. On Wednesday, there were four staffing triggers.
But even once the government fully reopens, reversing the flight cuts will not be immediate, Duffy said on Tuesday. The process may happen gradually, as the cuts themselves were phased in, he said. Duffy said he and FAA safety officials would look at relevant data, including pilot complaints, incidents where planes fly too close together, and runway incursions before reversing any of the cuts.
President Trump signed a government funding package at the White House late Wednesday, formally ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
The uncertainty has left many flyers anxious.
“We’re just hoping and praying for the best,” said Marlyn Mayo, who was flying from Washington, D.C., to Dallas-Fort Worth.
