The Government Shutdown Could Ground Your Next Flight – What Travelers Should Know

Airlines Cut 10% Of Flights

The record-long government shutdown is taking a toll on the skies, and your upcoming travel plans could be next. Beginning Friday, airlines are slashing up to 10% of their flights into and out of 40 major airports, a number that translates to about 1,800 canceled flights per day.

For perspective, inclement weather cancels only about 1-2% of flights per day.

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Travel expert Bobby Laurie, a former flight attendant and host of The Jet Set, explained that the biggest issue is safety. “We're looking at staffing shortages in the air traffic control towers, but not just at the airports. We're also seeing those shortages at the control centers that pass airplanes off from airport to airport,” he said.

Major carriers say they hope to notify passengers of cancellations anywhere from 24 to 72 hours in advance.

"By planning ahead and scheduling these cancellations, the hope is that the airline's going to give you enough notice that you'll be able to either cancel your ticket and get a full refund, reschedule your flight for another day, or with that refund from your cancellation, book your ticket on another airline," Laurie explained.

Even if your local airport isn’t one of the 40 major hubs affected by the cuts, you could still feel the impact. Smaller regional airports are especially vulnerable since airlines are prioritizing their most profitable routes.

"What airlines are going to be looking at first are flights that are not sold to capacity that could have sold better and that are going to those smaller tertiary airports," Laurie explained. "So if you live in a smaller city with a regional airport, chances are those might be the flights that actually get cut first."

While travelers might expect meal or hotel vouchers when stranded, Laurie said that’s not the case this time. “This is out of the airline's control,” he said. “You won't be looking for those vouchers unless the airline is trying to give you a goodwill gesture.”

Laurie’s top advice? Be proactive. “One of the things that I would try to do is to fly through some of these larger airlines’ hubs,” he said. With more flights per day from major hubs, travelers have better odds of getting rebooked.

He also recommends packing light and staying connected. “Bring a carry-on if possible,” Laurie said. “If your flight is canceled or delayed at the last minute and you are going to get rebooked onto a new flight, your bag might not be on that plane.”

When delays happen, skip the customer service line. “You can send them a message on Instagram or Facebook Messenger or even on WhatsApp with your confirmation code and they can actually rebook you right there,” Laurie shared.

He also highlighted the importance of getting travel insurance now more than ever. “If you're interested in protecting your trip or even just your flight alone, it's not too late to go out there and buy travel insurance,” Laurie said. A good policy can reimburse hotel stays, meals or even a last-minute replacement flight if your trip gets derailed.

Even if Congress resolves the shutdown soon, the effects on air travel could linger. “It might actually not be as easy to reactivate all of those flights,” Laurie explained. “You're gonna see residual delays even after the government shutdown ends because of this capacity reduction.”

And if bad weather hits during this period? “It really could cause a big snowball effect, weather pun intended,” he joked.

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Above all, Laurie hopes travelers remember to stay flexible during what could be a turbulent time at the airport. “The TSA agents that are working are still going unpaid, and they are there still keeping our skies safe on a daily basis, as are the air traffic controllers that are helping to guide your plane," he said. "Remember that we're all in this together. So at this point we're all trying to get from point A to point B safely."

Weather.com lead editor Jenn Jordan explores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities.