Flight cancellations due to government shutdown haven’t hit Boston, officials say
Despite warnings this week that the federal government shutdown could result in nationwide flight delays and cancellations , local officials say the problem has yet to reach Boston.
Logan Airport has "not experienced any impacts" from the shutdown, which has led to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers elsewhere, a Massachusetts Port Authority spokesperson said Thursday.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning earlier this week that thousands of flights had been delayed or canceled since the shutdown began on Oct. 1.
"There have been increased staffing shortages across the system," an FAA spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. "When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations."
Some of the country's busiest airports, such as those in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Newark, Las Vegas and Phoenix, have been affected, Reuters reported .
Around 13,000 air traffic controllers and approximately 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are working without pay, according to the news outlet.
Earlier this month, over 23,000 flights were delayed in a single week, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Reuters that 53% of those delays were due to staffing issues, compared with the normal rate of just 5%.
Duffy added that staffing issues have improved over the last week.
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