Delays, cancellations increase at LAX, John Wayne, Ontario airports amid lingering shutdown

By staff and news service reports

Airports in Southern California on Monday saw more delays and more cancellations imposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. An estimated 150 flights were cancelled in SoCal airports over the weekend and that number grew on Monday as 221 flights were delayed.

That was on top of 52 cancellations imposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday, leaving travelers scrambling or stranded.

According to FlightAware about 10,000 flights nationwide were cancelled over the weekend and all Southland airports were hit with delays and cancellations. LAX canceled 32 flights, John Wayne Airport canceled five flights, Hollywood Burbank Airport canceled five flights, and Ontario International Airport canceled six flights, according to FlightAware, a global flight tracking company that provides real-time and historical flight information.

More than 1,800 of Monday’s flights within, into or out of the U.S. were canceled, according to FlightAware, and as of Monday afternoon, 5,300 flights were delayed.

Airlines braced for further chaos this week, despite a deal in the U.S. Senate that would move toward ending the government shutdown, subject to both the Senate’s and House of Representatives’ approval, and signed by the president.

The flying restrictions began on Friday, when the Federal Aviation Administration told airlines to reduce flights by four percent at 40 busy airports serving major cities including Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Santa Ana. The FAA said the cuts were needed to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who had been working without pay for more than a month.

The reductions are expected to rise to 6% on Tuesday, 8% on Thursday and 10 %  on Friday, threatening to wreak havoc on Thanksgiving travel.

But there was hope that the holidays may be spared. Eight Democratic senators broke ranks with their party late on Sunday to back a deal that could end the shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Airlines welcomed the prospect.

“Our customers and employees have experienced firsthand the negative impact of the shutdown and staffing shortages causing flight delays, disruptions and cancellations,” United Airlines said in a statement on Sunday. “It is critical that the Senate quickly send this legislation to the House and the House pass it as soon as possible, so that government can reopen and reliable air travel can resume as we near the busy holiday travel season.”

Controllers are considered essential workers and have been instructed to continue working despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. But after going without paychecks for nearly a month, some have taken second jobs or are calling in sick, compounding existing staffing shortages, National Air Traffic Controllers Association officials told reporters.

Federal transportation officials said this has led to “staffing triggers” at air traffic facilities nationally, leading to “strain on the system.”

To combat the shortages and avoid safety issues, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that capacity would be reduced at 40 high-volume airports through at least Friday.

In addition to capacity reductions, the Federal Aviation Administration is also limiting commercial space launches and re-entries to the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time. Parachute operations and photo missions near affected airports were also being prohibited.

Airports in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Ontario are among those impacted by the capacity cuts, but airfields not among the 40 on the list could still see ripple-effect impacts on flight operations.

“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety,” Duffy said Thursday night. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay. It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”

Airlines have been issuing alerts to passengers to be aware of possible flight impacts.

United Airlines posted a message on its website stating, “We’re making updates to our schedule and will let you know if your flight is affected as soon as possible, but anyone flying between Nov. 6 and 13 can request a refund or reschedule for free.”

Southwest Airlines posted a notice saying “the vast majority” of its customers will not be affected, but said anyone with flights booked through Wednesday can adjust their travel plans at no cost, “or receive a refund if they choose not to travel, regardless of whether their flight is affected.”

“We will communicate directly with affected customers as soon as possible,” according to Southwest.

Delta Air Lines also advised customers of flight reductions, and provided guidance for travelers about how they can change or cancel their flights without any financial penalties.

Frontier Airlines stated that it expects most of its flights to operate as planned, but it will communicate with passengers whose travel plans may be impacted by the cuts.

“Customers whose flights are canceled or delayed for more than three hours (domestic flights) or six hours (international flights) are able to rebook or to request a refund,” according to the airline.

The New York Times and City News Service provided information for this story.