The Salt Lake City International Airport has announced a slew of flight cancellations this week, with Tuesday and Wednesday being particularly affected due to the ongoing government shutdown. ABC4 reported a detailed list of affected flights, which included both departures and arrivals for the two days, further disrupting travel plans.
Nancy Volmer, the airport's director of communications, stated that there were "18 more flight cancellations at the Salt Lake City International Airport, bringing the total to 44 since the Federal Aviation Administration required air traffic reductions during the government shutdown," according to KUTV. Essential federal workers, including air traffic controllers, have been pressured to work without pay for nearly six weeks now, prompting the FAA to mandate a 10% reduction in air traffic.
The ripple effect of these mandatory reductions is being felt nationwide. On Tuesday alone, over 1,200 flights were canceled across the country, and the FAA has projected these cuts could escalate to 10% by Friday. CBS News reported that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy met with air traffic controllers and warned of massive disruptions this weekend if the House doesn't pass the bill to fund the government.
Duffy was quoted as saying at a press conference, "We're not going to get to Thanksgiving" if the House doesn't act swiftly and pass the necessary funding bill. This statement was a chilling indicator of the broad impacts that the shutdown could have on holiday travel plans. However, Duffy also noted signs of progress and stated, "Compared to last weekend, air traffic controller staffing has improved," which many hope signals an impending end to the shutdown, "They'll get 70% of their back pay in that time frame, and then after, the remainder will be made up. I think it's about a week," Duffy told CBS News.
