An American Airlines Airbus A319 airplane takes off past the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, January 11, 2023. The US Federal Aviation Authority said Wednesday that normal flight operati …
SAN FRANCISCO - The unpaid air traffic controller situation is so bad, the federal government is ordering airlines to reduce flights regardless of high holiday demand. There is actually a funded fix for this but those who could fix it are staring each other down.
Just in time for the holidays, the Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a 10% reduction in flights as long as the government is closed; plus bigger cuts as time drags on.
Impact on passengers
"There will be long lines and there will be flight delays and it is gonna be like crazy," said passenger Mayank Garg. "It's gonna have a lot of passengers that are angry. A lot of frustrated passengers, a lot of lower money for United, American, all the hubs here at SFO. I don't think it's a good idea, but I guess we'll see if they actually go through with it," said passenger Mike Rinaldi.
At some airports, controller shortages from sick or mental health call-ins have reached 80%. That is unsustainable.
Some airports have adequate staff, but they can't work at other airports without long training periods for local situations and equipment.
Nonetheless, airlines servicing 40 major airports will be ordered to reduce flights, likely including SFO. Other major airports are in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and many more.
Why you should care:
Aviation attorney and pilot Mary Schiavo is a former Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Transportation, a leading expert on aviation.
"So it will be facilities that already have shortages and I think they'll just tell the airlines, United Airlines, you're gonna cut 10% of your flights out of Chicago, American, you're gonna cut whatever, 10% of your flights here or there," said Schiavo.
See also: FAA cuts flights amid shutdown — What to do if yours is delayed or canceled
Then the airlines will choose which flights will be cut.
"By slowing down traffic, by eliminating some traffic, yes it's gonna be a real hassle and you're gonna stand in long airport lines, but that's what's gonna keep us safe through this mess," she said.
What's the Aviation Trust Fund?
The most exasperating thing about all of this is that there is a fund of $20 billion that would take care of all of this. It's called the Aviation Trust Fund. It's funded by user fees tacked on to airline ticket taxes, air cargo shipments, and frequent flyer programs.
Though it's not a general tax, Congress controls it and often raids it for other uses.
"Why do we allow the system paid for by the users to be held hostage by political pork barreling?" said Schiavo.
"I think we're kind of used to it. You know, it's in a bad way. Right? We're used to a bad thing, and it's becoming the norm," said passenger Ryan Wenz.
What to look out for
What's next:
Imagine if you already made your plans, bought your ticket and picked your seat, only to be told you're canceled.
FAA cuts flights by 10%: What Bay Area airports are saying
The FAA will cut air traffic by 10% across 40 major markets starting Friday amid the ongoing shutdown, citing air traffic controller shortages. Bay Area airports say they haven’t yet been told if they’ll be affected.