More than 1,200 flights were canceled across the United States on Friday, after the Donald Trump administration ordered a reduction in the number of flights to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay due to the shutdown of federal institutions.
Forty airports were slated for cuts, including major hubs in Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles.
As Republicans and Democrats continue to bitterly clash, particularly over health insurance subsidies, federal agencies have almost completely shut down since funding expired on Oct. 1.
Many civil servants, including key airport workers, are working without pay or have been sent home on unpaid leave as they await the end of the nearly six-week crisis.
The flight cuts are being phased in – starting at four percent, with a possible increase to ten percent next week if Congress fails to reach a funding deal.
According to FlightAware, more than 1,200 flights were canceled on Friday.
Aviation analytics company Cirium said that so far, about three percent of US flights have been canceled, while 94 percent have taken off on time.
The most affected airports were Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, O’Hare in Chicago, Denver and Phoenix, according to data analyzed by AFP.
– This is frustrating. We shouldn’t be in this situation – American Airlines CEO Robert Isom told CNBC.
This situation means that ordinary Americans are now directly feeling the consequences of the budget conflict in Washington, which has shut down much of the state administration.
The Senate was scheduled to try for the 15th time on Friday to pass a short-term funding proposal that has already passed the House of Representatives to reopen the government, but the vote was expected to fail like the previous 14 times.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed Democrats, saying they should vote to reopen the government.
President Donald Trump’s administration has tried to reassure the public that flying is still safe.
– It is safe to fly today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow thanks to the preventive measures we are taking – said Duffy on social networks on Thursday evening.
Yet many workers in high-stress airline jobs are now calling in sick, or looking for extra work to pay the bills.
(Vijesti.ba)
