What Canadian Airlines Are Telling Travellers After Over 800 U.S. Flights Cancelled or Delayed
Even if your flight is entirely within Canada, it’s likely to enter U.S. airspace. That means delays in the United States could still affect you.
Background
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a 10% reduction in air traffic at forty major airports starting Friday. By Friday morning, more than 800 U.S.-linked flights had already been cancelled, according to FlightAware.
Reason for Disruptions
The American government has been shut down since October 1, marking the longest closure in U.S. history. Air traffic controllers have been working without pay for nearly six weeks, causing staff shortages and widespread flight delays.
“Given the growing fatigue among controllers and safety reports from pilots, we did not want to wait until the situation reached a crisis point,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. He added that he and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy agreed the traffic reduction was necessary.
Impact on Canadian Travellers
- Flights crossing U.S. airspace may face delays even if both departure and destination are in Canada.
- Canadians should expect potential schedule adjustments and longer flight times.
- Airlines are advising passengers to monitor travel updates and check flight status regularly.
Author’s summary: FAA’s 10% traffic cut at major U.S. airports, caused by a prolonged government shutdown, is now disrupting even Canadian domestic flights that enter U.S. airspace.