Canadian Airlines Respond to U.S. Flight Cancellations
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a 10 per cent reduction in air traffic across 40 high-volume U.S. airports starting Friday. By that morning, over 800 flights connected to the United States had been cancelled, according to FlightAware.
Causes Behind the Disruptions
The ongoing U.S. government shutdown, in effect since October 1, has become the longest in the country's history. Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid for nearly six weeks, causing staff shortages and increasing delays across the aviation network.
Official Reactions
“There’ll be frustration,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “But in the end, our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.”
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford explained that both he and Secretary Duffy decided to act after pilot reports indicated growing fatigue among controllers, raising safety concerns. Their goal, he said, was to prevent the situation from reaching a critical stage.
Airports Affected
According to CBS News, the list of affected airports includes major hubs such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare, and New York’s Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark airports. Locations as distant as Anchorage and Honolulu are also impacted.
Response from Canadian Airlines
Air Canada, in a statement to the National Post, said:
“We are monitoring the situation and awaiting more details on the planned reductions. At this point, we are maintaining our normal schedule but for customers who may be connecting onto U.S. flights, we advise allowing extra time.”
Author Summary
This article outlines the FAA’s flight reduction decision amid unpaid U.S. air traffic controllers, highlighting the resulting flight disruptions and cautious responses from Canadian airlines.