Most of the major airports in the United States, including Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, reported few disruptions as airlines canceled a small percentage of the total flights scheduled for Friday (Photo Credit: The New York Times)
The ongoing U.S. government shutdown is starting to ripple through the aviation industry, raising concerns for Caribbean tourism.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered airlines to reduce flights at 40 major U.S. airports as air traffic controllers continue to work without pay.
Airports in Miami, Atlanta, and New York, key gateways for Caribbean travelers, are among those affected. While most international flights remain largely unaffected, airlines have begun trimming short-haul domestic flights, which could disrupt connections to destinations such as Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, and Barbados.
The FAA’s plan calls for a phased reduction in flights: 4 percent starting Friday, increasing to 6 percent on Tuesday, 8 percent on Thursday, and 10 percent next Friday. Airlines have targeted cancellations mostly among in-state routes, particularly in California and Texas, according to aviation data firm Cirium.
On Friday, about 780 flights, roughly 3 percent of the 25,000 scheduled, were canceled. Airlines said most affected passengers quickly found alternate flights, limiting immediate disruption.
Airfare’s already high, and now this could make it worse if airlines start trimming routes.
Tourism drives our foreign exchange. If visitors can’t get here easily, it affects the entire economy from taxi drivers to restaurants
We’ve seen this before when the U.S. aviation system slows down, our regional flights get caught in the ripple. It’s like a domino effect.
780 flights canceled out of 25,000 doesn’t sound too bad, but it’s the timing and connections that matter.
This is worrying. Most of our visitors come through Miami or New York. Even if the cancellations are small now, it could affect weekend arrivals and hotel check-ins.
A potential U.S. government shutdown could spell trouble for Caribbean travel, with expected delays in visa processing, flight operations, and tourism spending if federal services are disrupted.
Could possibly? It’s already doing so
We just started seeing strong winter bookings again, and now this. A slowdown in U.S. air traffic can have a direct impact on our occupancy rates