Mass Flight Cancellations Begin — Reports From Airports Reveal Relative Calm
Nearly a thousand flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have been canceled as of Friday morning, as the FAA reduces operations at 40 major airports across the U.S. Reports on the ground (including from Mosheh, who went through two impacted airports today) reveal that early cancellations likely helped keep things calmer — though delays have left some people scrambling.
How it’s working: United Airlines officials are using a “cancel analyzer” tool to select flights to cancel that will be least impactful on customers by looking at load, connecting flights, and crew schedules.
It comes on day 38 of the government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate would vote later Friday on the Shutdown Fairness Act, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would only approve the measure if Republicans agree to extend health care tax credits for one year and come up with a plan to negotiate a longer term solution. Lawmakers are expected to continue working through the weekend on a deal.
Meanwhile, food assistance benefits continue to be stalled despite court orders, with major impacts on families across the U.S.
ON TSA
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said air traffic controller burnout is a major factor in reducing air traffic. Controllers have been calling out sick, while others work excessive overtime. Air traffic controllers have not been paid in weeks due to the record-long government shutdown, and some have had to pick up second jobs to pay the bills. Officials have said there are currently no safety concerns.
Duffy urged controllers to return to work, saying the system could stabilize if more do.
The FAA says flight operations will scale back 4% Friday, 6% by Nov. 11, and 10% by Nov. 14, potentially affecting thousands of daily flights from coast to coast. Airlines are required to issue full refunds to any customer whose flight is canceled, according to the Department of Transportation.
If you’re flying soon, check with your airline for flight status ahead of time.
FOOD AID CRISIS
The Trump Administration told states Friday it was releasing full November funding for the nation’s major food assistance program that helps 42 million people afford groceries, complying with a federal court order issued Thursday. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are distributed to 1 in 8 Americans, who rely on an average of $187/month for groceries. It could still take days, or weeks, before people see money deposited into their accounts.
SNAP food stamps cost the federal government around $8 billion/month but have been impacted due to the government shutdown for the first time in its history.
The Trump admin claimed it could not legally use a $5 billion emergency fund to continue payments during the funding lapse, but two federal judges ruled last week that the government must tap into those funds to keep benefits flowing.
District Judge John McConnell Jr. of Rhode Island accused federal officials of defying his original order and disrupting the program “for political reasons” during Thursday’s hearing.
Real world impacts: “It breaks my heart because I’ve never had to tell my kids ‘no’ for food. They know when I get the food stamps, so they’re saying, ‘Mommy, your food money should be here.’ And I’m trying to explain to them, we’re not getting our food money right now,” 33-year-old Kaylee Greene from Monticello, New York, told NBC News.
Children make up nearly 40% of SNAP recipients. People over 60 and with disabilities make up another ~30%.
