Snowstorm Causes Flight Cancellations and Delays Across Major US Airports
A snowstorm in Chicago, one of the busiest aviation hubs in the US, has led to a chaotic travel situation as flight restrictions mandated by the government enter their fourth day.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, as of 7:15 a. m. New York time, there have been 1,432 flight cancellations from US airports today. This accounts for about 5. 5% of the day’s scheduled flights and the number is expected to grow.
The airports with the highest number of cancellations are Chicago O’Hare International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport, with at least 8% of their scheduled flights canceled. Delta Air Lines Inc.has the highest number of canceled flights.
Over the weekend, airlines experienced an increase in cancellations and delays as disruptions caused issues for passengers and crew members. These problems are likely to be compounded by the winter weather in Chicago, where several inches of snow are expected to accumulate, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, the government shutdown has now surpassed 40 days, although the Senate made progress on Sunday towards reopening the government as some moderate Democrats sided with Republicans. However, it is still uncertain if the stalemate will be resolved, as there is significant opposition in the House of Representatives.
It could also take several days for any votes to take place in Congress. This shutdown means that air traffic controllers are about to miss their second paycheck. This past weekend, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) posted notices of delays at airports across the US due to a shortage of staff.
The pressure on the air traffic system will continue to increase as we approach the busy Thanksgiving travel season. If the shutdown continues, controllers will be forced to work without pay, causing a potential standstill in air travel, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
As part of the FAA restrictions, some major US airports are now limiting access for private jets. Government-mandated cuts to daily flight volumes are set to increase on Tuesday at 6 a. m. , with airlines required to cancel 6% of their services, compared to the 4% that have been in place since last Friday. By Friday, this number could reach 10% of daily flights.
While international flights are not directly impacted by these cuts, travelers connecting to or from international destinations are still being affected. Foreign carriers’ planes are being added to the queues of several dozen domestic US flights waiting on runways to take off due to the shortage of staff.
The disruptions caused by the snowstorm and government shutdown are expected to lead to increased costs for airlines. This is due to unavoidable expenses such as pilot wages, according to analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence. On the other hand, the shutdown could potentially improve domestic airlines’ fourth-quarter margins as they drop unprofitable and smaller routes.
” If the reduction continues beyond the near term, it could result in higher fares, particularly