What to know if your travel plans are impacted by the FAA’s flight cancellations

If you have upcoming excursion plans anytime soon you might notice fewer options on the airport s departure board Airlines are scaling back flights at dozens of major U S airports to ease the pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working unpaid and under intense strain during the ongoing ruling body shutdown The Federal Aviation Administration says the decision is necessary to keep travelers safe Plenty of controllers have been putting in long hours and mandatory overtime while lawmakers are at a standstill over how to reopen the cabinet Major hubs like New York Los Angeles and Chicago are among those affected and the ripple effects could mean more cancellations longer delays and fuller flights for travelers across the country The cutbacks will impact hundreds if not thousands of flights daily Here s what to know about the FAA s order and what you can do if your plans are disrupted Is my airport on the list There s a good chance it is The list spans more than two dozen states It includes the country s busiest airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia and the main airports in Boston Denver Honolulu Las Vegas Miami San Francisco and Salt Lake City Multiple airports will be impacted in particular metropolitan hubs including New York Houston Chicago and Washington How long will this go on It s hard to say Even if the shutdown ends soon the FAA has declared it would not lift the flight restrictions until staffing at airport towers and regional air traffic centers makes it safe to do so It s going to take time to work through this explained Michael Johnson president of Ensemble Expedition an association of trip agencies in the U S and Canada That s why he revealed it s critical to plan ahead whether you ve already booked flights or you re just starting to make holiday passage plans Know before you go Airlines say they will let their customers know if their flight is called off Still it doesn t hurt to check your airline s app or a flight-tracking site for updates before you leave for the airport It s better to be stuck at home or in a hotel than stranded in a terminal My flight was canceled Now what Take a deep breath Don t panic Johnson mentioned There are options available They may not be ideal and they may be inconvenient but you have options If you re already at the airport it s time to get in line to speak to a customer utility representative While you re waiting you can call or go online to connect to the airline s reservations staff It can also help to reach out on the social platform X because airlines might respond expeditiously there Now might also be the time to consider if it makes sense to movement by train car or bus instead Kyle Potter executive editor of Thrifty Traveler commented the shutdown is different from when a single airline is having problems and travelers can just pick another carrier The longer the shutdown drags on it s unlikely that there will be one airline running on time if the rest of the them are failing Potter commented Can I get a refund or compensation The airlines will be required to issue full refunds according to the FAA However they aren t required to cover extra costs like meals or hotel stays unless the delay or cancellation was within their control according to the Department of Transportation You can also check the DOT website to see what your airline promises for refunds or other costs if your flight is disrupted Should I just stay home for the holidays Not necessarily You might just need a little more planning and flexibility than usual A advance adviser can help take several stress off your plate and expedition insurance may give you an extra safety net Johnson also warned that flights could sell out fast once the shutdown ends There will be a flurry of booking activity he declared So try to get ahead of it and make sure that you re protected Booking an early flight can also help says Tyler Hosford assurance director at hazard mitigation company International SOS If it gets canceled you still have the whole day to sort things out Other tips Trip light Limiting baggage to a carry-on means one less airport line to deal with and if your plans change unexpectedly you ll already have everything with you Give yourself extra time at the airport especially if you re an anxious flyer or traveling with young children or anyone who demands extra help getting around And be nice Airline agents are likely helping other frustrated travelers too and yelling won t make them more willing to help Remember the cancellations aren t their fault An extra ounce of kindness to yourself and to others at this time of year with all of the disruptions will go a long way Johnson disclosed