Southwest Airlines
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Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will be among 40 “high-volume markets” whose flights will be reduced by 10% on Friday due to staffing shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that the country’s busiest markets will have to make cuts, affecting roughly 3,500 to 4,000 flights daily. According to a list published by CBS News and ABC News, Sky Harbor is one of those airports. That’s hardly a surprise, given that Sky Harbor is among the 15 busiest airports in the country.
How is Sky Harbor being affected by the cutbacks?
Sky Harbor has already faced issues during the government shutdown, which reached 37 days as of Thursday and is now the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
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On Tuesday, the FAA issued a ground delay at Sky Harbor due to a shortage of air traffic controllers, delaying more than 340 flights. Federal workers, like air traffic controllers and TSA agents, are expected to work but are not being paid during the shutdown. On Wednesday, more than 220 flights out of the airport were delayed and nearly 50 were canceled. As of Thursday at 11:30 a.m., 73 flights have been delayed at Sky Harbor and one has been cancelled.
The FAA’s order will take effect on Friday morning. In an email, Sky Harbor spokesperson Gregory Roybal directed New Times to contact the FAA for further information and encouraged passengers to verify their flight status with their airline before arriving at the airport.
“Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said during a Wednesday press conference. “This is about the pressure and how to really deviate the pressure.”
To make matters more annoying for travelers, the Sky Harbor is currently in the midst of a construction project near Terminal 3, which will cause overnight road closures around the airport starting Sunday and continuing through Nov. 18.
How long will the shutdown last?
The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass a budget or resolution to fund the government. It could last a while.
Republicans are falsely claiming that Democrats are holding out to get health care benefits for undocumented immigrants, while Democrats have said they are fighting to preserve Obamacare premium subsidies that make health insurance affordable for millions.
Unless Republicans ditch the filibuster, as Trump has demanded they do, the GOP needs to convert some Democratic senators to reopen the government. Otherwise, the sides will have to sit down and negotiate their way out.
O’Hara Shipe
What do I do if my flight is canceled at Sky Harbor?
Many airlines are offering refunds or rebookings depending on the situation. Call the airline you’re flying with to see what they’re offering to customers amid the reduction.
Here’s what to expect for the major airlines.
American Airlines
In a statement Thursday morning, American Airlines said it expects flights on Thursday to operate as planned and expects the “vast majority” of its customers to be unaffected. Long-haul international flights, which are typically six hours or longer, will continue as scheduled. However, the airlines did encourage flyers to check their flight status.
Customers whose flights are cancelled or who choose not to fly will be able to change their flight or get a refund without penalty.
Delta
Delta expects most of its flights to operate as scheduled, including its long-haul international flights, it stated in a press release Thursday morning. Travelers will be able to cancel or refund their flights, including Delta Main Basic Fares, without penalty during the shutdown.
Delta said flyers should check their flight status to stay informed about potential changes.
Southwest
In a short statement on Wednesday, Southwest said it doesn’t expect international flights to be affected and said it will work “proactively” to communicate with flyers “well in advance” and offer “flexibility in travel plans.” Information surrounding potential refunds wasn’t included in their announcement, though Southwest fares are generally refundable.
The majority of the delays on Thursday morning at Sky Harbor were for Southwest flights.
JetBlue
The airline said in a press release that it’d reach out to affected customers directly if their flight is impacted by the reduction. In most cases, flyers will be automatically rebooked to the next JetBlue flight. Customers can also request a full refund.
United
In a statement, United Airlines said long-haul international flights and hub-to-hub flights won’t be impacted. However, Sky Harbor is not one of United’s hubs, so passengers traveling to those hubs — including Chicago O’Hare Airport, Denver International Airport and Dulles International Airport — could still experience delays.
Reductions will be scheduled for regional flying and domestic mainline flights, including flights from Sky Harbor to other U.S. cities. Any customer traveling during this period is eligible for a refund if they don’t want to fly, even if their flight isn’t impacted. This includes both non-refundable tickets and basic economy tickets.
United still plans to have 4,000 flights a day across the country.
Frontier
During the reductions, Frontier stated that it expected most flights to operate as scheduled but would make adjustments to the flight schedule as necessary and communicate with customers proactively. Customers can rebook or request a refund for domestic flights that are canceled or delayed for more than three hours. Customers can do the same for international flights that are canceled or delayed for more than six hours.
They have also issued a flexible travel policy for customers who’d like to cancel or change their plans during the shutdown.
