FAA air traffic reduction impact on PHL Airport
Travelers will see fewer flights at airports around the country starting this week as the FAA cuts the number of flights to forty high-volume markets around the country starting Friday morning.
PHILADELPHIA – Officials say the move will help maintain safety during the government shutdown.
What we know:
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced what will likely be an even bigger inconvenience to people flying.
“There is going to be a ten percent reduction in capacity at forty of our locations,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Officials say the move is meant to help airlines that are strained because of staffing shortages caused by the government shutdown.
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay since the shutdown started October first which is causing more staff callouts and flight delays.
The FAA says reducing flights at the busiest airports will help maintain safety during the shutdown.
“To continue to take the pressure off of our controllers and as we continue to see staffing triggers, there will be additional measures that will be taken in those specific markets,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
Local perspective:
“I have flight anxiety already so hearing anything, I’m kind of like panicking. We cannot take off on time or we do not have enough this,” said Jubilee Watkins. She was with her 5-month-old daughter and her mom. They returned home tonight from visiting family in Kingston Jamaica for the past month. She says their connecting flight in Atlanta was delayed getting them to Philly.
“I heard people saying ok like the flights are delayed because of the government shutdown,” she said.
Ann Rodriguez just moved here from Florida to stay with family.
“I was homeless in Florida. If they did not have enough flights for me to come back home, I would be sleeping another cold night in the streets of Florida,” she said. But she is also aware that flying requires proper staffing.
“I wanna make sure I’m safe,” she said.
Meanwhile, others wonder if fewer flight choices will end up costing them more.
“I think it’s really going to drive up the price of flights if they’re going to be more scarce than they already are,” said Watkins.
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