WASHINGTON - Airports across the United States started cutting back on thousands of flights early yesterday after the record-long government shutdown caused staffing shortages.
Airlines scrambled to meet demands and began canceling flights overnight in anticipation of the FAA’s order, while travelers with bookings this weekend waited anxiously to learn whether they would take off on time.
More than 780 flights scheduled for today have already been called off nationwide, according to FlightAware, and many more are expected to be scrapped.
Delta Air Lines said it would scratch roughly 170 flights yesterday, and American Airlines planned to cut 220 a day through Monday.
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Republican leaders expressed hope they could get a deal done at some point this weekend, with President Donald Trump pressuring the GOP to get the government back up and running.
Trump told Republican senators during a breakfast meeting at the White House Wednesday that ‘we must get the government back open soon and really immediately.’
The president has threatened a ‘nuclear option’ to eliminate the filibuster and allow the GOP to reopen the government with a simple majority and no Democrat votes.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has publicly stated he is against that idea.
Thune said he believes he has a plan to get Democrats on board to end what is now the longest shutdown in US history at over 37 days. If the plan fails, Senate leadership is set to keep members of both parties in Washington through the weekend in an attempt to finally get a deal done.
Airlines are scrambling to cancel flights as Republicans try to put together a plan to end the shutdown before the cutbacks take more drastic effect.