CHARLOTTE, NC – Charlotte Douglas International Airport is among the 40 airports nationwide that are expected to reduce air traffic by 10% .
The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday the cuts are necessary to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown.
Charlotte Douglas officials released a statement on Thursday saying, “CLT remains in close communication with our federal and airline partners to stay informed and responsive as needed. There are currently no significant impacts to airport operations. Passengers should check flight status with their airline and plan to arrive in the terminal two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.”
Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago along with other hubs across the U.S. are among the 40 that will see flights cut starting Friday, according to the FAA.
The FAA is imposing the flight reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the government shutdown and have been increasingly calling off work.
Controllers already have missed one full paycheck and are scheduled to again receive nothing next week as as the shutdown drags on.
The FAA has been delaying flights at times when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.
Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday. Airlines said they would try to minimize the impact on customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.
United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes like 737s. United, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly — even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable.
The head of Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.
Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled.
