Dozens of flights canceled at Boston's Logan Airport due to government shutdown
Dozens of flights at Logan Airport in Boston were canceled Friday and Saturday as cuts ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began due to the government shutdown.
The emergency order for airlines to fly fewer planes is now in effect at 40 major airports across the country. It begins with a four-percent reduction in flights Friday and is expected to build up to 10 percent by the end of next week.
On Sunday, Logan saw the largest number of cancellations thus far during the shutdown, with 94 flights canceled, according to FlightAware.
There were 43 cancellations in and out of Logan on Friday. There were 46 flights that had been canceled on Saturday.
Smaller airports are also affected. According to T.F. Green International Airport in Rhode Island, five flights in and out of Providence were canceled Friday.
The FAA said staffing shortages are stressing the system and cutting the number of flights is necessary to keep passengers safe. TSA workers and air traffic controllers have been working without paychecks during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
"They were already short 3,500 air traffic controllers before the government shutdown. Of course, that's compounded now by a lot of no-shows of the controllers who are not getting paid. So, what's being done now, they don't have a choice, they have to slow the flow," said CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg.
Massport, the agency that runs Logan, is urging passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Airlines will refund travelers for canceled flights, but not for secondary costs like hotels and meals, because the airlines are not at fault.
"It's driving me nuts"
Weekend travel plans are up in the air for many people who are heading to the airport. Vito Lamura of Gloucester, Massachusetts considered canceling his trip to Denver for a wedding.
"We always worry about the safety and with the air traffic control situation it gave us pause," he said Friday. "It's absurd. I think it's a complete failure of government and the government is serving itself and not the people. It's driving me nuts."
"It's just terrible. I feel like the American people are being held hostage right now," said Cindy Handler. She and her husband Jeff were at Logan Friday picking up their daughter, who had no issues getting into Boston. But they don't know if she'll have any issues getting home Sunday.
"I brought my work stuff just in case," said their daughter, Rachel Jackson.
Travelers said that they were worried about traveling for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday if the government shutdown continues.
Flights canceled in Boston
Carol Dawkins had travel plans to visit her sister in Indianapolis for a four-day weekend. She was supposed to fly out of Logan on Thursday. The flight was delayed several times and then canceled.
Not giving up, she stayed the night in Providence to fly out of T.F. Green Airport. "Now the Boston flight was obviously due to the government shutdown," Dawkins said. "The Providence one was due to mechanical issue, but then trying to get another flight was also due to government shutdown. So obviously I'm back home sitting on my couch doing absolutely nothing."
Passenger Mike Stevens was flying out of Logan to visit his grandchildren. "I'm on a short timeframe, so if I got canceled today, I wouldn't be able to take the trip," Stevens said. "Mine was canceled initially and then I got in on this one and I just checked it and it's delayed."
The emergency order will affect commercial and cargo flights and trips on private jets. Airlines caught violating the order could be fined up to $75,000 for every flight over the limit, according to CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave.