More than 300 flights canceled at New York City's major airports Monday amid government shutdown
More than 300 flights have been canceled Monday at New York City's three major airports amid the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.
It has been four days since the Federal Aviation Administration began cutting back on flights. Monday was projected to be the worst day for air travel since the shutdown started 41 days ago. The shortage of air traffic controllers is wreaking havoc on flyers across the country. The U.S. Senate voted overnight to advance a short-term funding bill that would reopen the government, but that process will take time.
As of noon, LaGuardia Airport's arrival and departure boards were showing 126 cancellations, according to FlightAware. John. F. Kennedy International Airport showed 82 canceled flights and Newark Liberty International Airport had 95.
There are also hundreds of delays across the three airports, impacting arrivals and departures.
10% flight cuts expected by Friday
More than 2,000 flights were canceled Sunday nationwide and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned it could get worse as the shutdown continues.
"We're working overtime to make sure that it is safe to travel," Duffy said. "I look to, you know, the two weeks before Thanksgiving. You're gonna see air travel be reduced to a trickle."
The frustrations started last week, when JFK, LaGuardia and Newark were identified as three of the 40 travel hubs around the country told to brace for delays and cancellations.
The FAA is starting to build up to a 10% reduction in flights at the airports, which sources told CBS News New York also includes New Jersey's Teterboro Airport.
Paul Bernardini, head of marketing for flight tracking app Flighty, says the worst is yet to come.
"As of yesterday, we crossed the 50% line of all flights disrupted across the U.S.," Bernardini said. "Right now, we are still at the lower end of the cuts the FAA mandated. Tomorrow, we jump to 6%. By Friday, we jump to 10%. So, we've already crossed the 50% line of total flights disrupted and we're not even at the worst that it can get."
"It is happening now in real families, in real control rooms, in real time"
The nation's air traffic controllers have now missed two paychecks because of the shutdown.
"The effects of this shutdown have real consequences for hardworking, patriotic American workers," said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. "They have kept their focus, their composure and their commitment to safety, but now they must focus on child care instead of traffic flows, food for their families instead of runway separation. This is not politics, this is not ideology.
"The most dangerous shift of all [is] when the most disciplined safety workforce in America is forced to think about survival instead of public safety. This is the cost. This is not theoretical. It is happening now in real families, in real control rooms, in real time," Daniels added.
"It's messing up everyone around the country"
Travelers at Newark Liberty International expressed deep frustration over the cancellations and delays.
"It's not only impacting flights. It's impacting life in general, and to be honest with you, I think everybody needs to get in a room, get themselves together and stop putting people at risk," Arlene Swanston, a traveler at Newark, said. "Figure it out immediately, if not sooner. Get it done."
"It's messing up everyone around the country. It's just not fair, I guess," traveler Vaivhav Taparia added. "It's insane. To be fair, I have a little bit of fear of flying, but it's getting more scarier, personally."
Remember to check with your air carrier for the latest flight status updates.