- Salt Lake City International Airport faces up to a 10% flight reduction due to government shutdown.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced cuts to relieve air traffic controller pressure.
- Delta Air Lines says it seeks to minimize customer impact and provide flight change flexibility.
SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of Salt Lake City International Airport are urging people with upcoming flights to keep tabs on their flight's status after Utah's largest airport was named as one of 40 across the country that may experience a reduction in service beginning on Friday.
"We encourage passengers to check with their airlines regarding potential delays or cancellations. Salt Lake City will continue to coordinate with our airlines and other partners to provide updates when available," said Nancy Volmer, the airport's spokeswoman, in a statement on Thursday.
Salt Lake City International Airport is among 40 major U.S. airports that could see as much as a 10% reduction in flights by Nov. 14, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the cuts on Wednesday as the latest impact of the federal government shutdown, which has already led to tens of thousands of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents being made to work without pay since it began on Oct. 1.
Federal Aviation Administration officials stated that the measure seeks to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers. A 4% reduction will begin on Friday, increasing to 6% by Tuesday and 8% on Nov. 13 before hitting the 10% mark.
Air carriers were informed about the increasing rollout during a call with the federal government, Reuters reported.
It wasn't immediately clear how long the cuts would last or what flights would be trimmed. As of Thursday evening, a 9:05 a.m. Friday flight to Phoenix was the first listed cancellation among flights out of Salt Lake City.
Related:
US to slash air traffic by 10% at 40 airports, including Salt Lake City, amid shutdown
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday that he would order a 10% cut in flights at 40 major airports, citing air traffic control safety concerns, as the government shutdown hit a record 36th day.Delta Air Lines, which operates over two-thirds of the passenger flights at Salt Lake City International Airport, said in a news release that it will "work to minimize customer impact while keeping safety our top priority."
"We are providing additional flexibility to all of our customers during the impacted travel period to change, cancel or refund their flights, including our basic economy fares, without penalty," Delta added. "We will work to give customers as much notice as possible about any changes to their flights and apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause."
Other airlines announced similar plans to notify customers if their flights are affected.
Salt Lake City International averaged more than 2.3 million total passengers every month over the first nine months of this year, while November and December are generally considered two of the busier travel months due to Thanksgiving and Christmas travelers.
Airport officials were apparently caught off guard by the FAA's decision. Volmer told KSL on Wednesday that the airport wasn't aware of any flight scalebacks at the airport when news of a 10% reduction at 40 airports nationwide first broke. She still expected that it could create some service impacts for people flying to airports on the list.
Major cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York are included on the list, along with airports with heavy traffic, like Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International, Dallas/Fort Worth International and Denver International.
About 300 air traffic controllers have been affected by the latest government shutdown. This week's development comes a week after a few of the affected employees gathered at Salt Lake International Airport's luggage claim, where they handed out leaflets to passengers about the situation.
"It's been a huge gut punch. I thought I was better prepared for this," said Steph Winder, a Salt Lake City air traffic controller and vice president for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's Northwest Mountain region, on Oct. 28.
Salt Lake City officials announced a food pantry for local federal workers after the shutdown reached its second week. In addition to food, the pantry includes diapers, feminine hygiene products, gas cards and other supportive items made available through some available airport funds, according to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
