Airlines and the broader travel industry are feeling the financial and operational pressure of the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce flights at 40 major United States airports amid the ongoing government shutdown.
On the morning of Nov. 7, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated cuts at major airports around the country. The reductions, which are aimed at easing the burden on unpaid air-traffic controllers, started at 4 percent of daily flights and are scheduled to rise to 10 percent by Nov. 14.
Major carriers have already canceled hundreds of flights in response to the directive. American Airlines, for example, canceled about 220 flights on Friday, Delta roughly 170, and United fewer than 200, according to company statements. The initial cancellations largely affected smaller aircraft and regional routes, with long-haul international flights largely unaffected….