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The government-mandated flight cancellations entered their third day on Nov. 9, leaving travelers once again glued to their phones and computers to see whether their flights are among the growing number of cuts. Among them are USA TODAY reporters Nathan Diller and Eve Chen, who are heading to Florida from Nashville and Atlanta, respectively.
More than 1,100 flights had already been canceled for Sunday by midafternoon, according to FlightAware data, following more than 1,000 on Saturday. The disruptions come as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the situation is likely to deteriorate in the coming days if the government shutdown continues.
“It’s only going to get worse,” Duffy said in an interview on CNN, cautioning that air travel could slow to “a trickle” as the busy holiday season approaches.
The Department of Transportation first ordered airlines to reduce flight schedules by 4% at 40 major airports starting Nov. 7, with further cuts planned to rise to 6% by Nov. 11, 8% by Nov. 13 and 10% by Nov. 14. Duffy has since said reductions could reach as high as 15% to 20% if the shutdown persists, straining an already overburdened system as air traffic controllers continue to work without pay.
With only weeks until Thanksgiving, travelers nationwide face mounting uncertainty — and dwindling options — as flight cancellations deepen across the country. Follow along as Diller and Chen chronicle their day.
Arriving at 9 a.m. ET
The morning was off to a quiet start at Nashville International Airport (BNA). Travelers breezed through largely empty rows of stanchions at the TSA checkpoint, where wait times were listed as less than 10 minutes.
I arrived just after 8 a.m. local time, checked a bag at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter, and made it through security by about 8:30 a.m.
The airport didn’t feel any busier than the other weekend mornings I’ve been here.
A screen displaying departure times and gates showed five canceled flights and 19 delays. BNA wasn’t among the airports subject to the FAA cuts, and didn’t appear to be showing signs of any stress elsewhere in the aviation system, either.
— Nathan Diller, flying from Nashville
Everything is flowing smoothly at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday morning, the busiest airport in the world and home hub for Atlanta-based Delta.
I got to the airport 2 hours and 15 minutes early for my 11:30 a.m. Delta flight to Miami, which was originally scheduled for 9:25 a.m. The airline first alerted me about the delay last night and has been keeping me updated about additional delays throughout the morning, so I could plan accordingly.
Some Delta travelers were lined up for agent assistance at departure counters, but nothing extraordinary.
I only waited three minutes in line for TSA with Pre-Check and Touchless ID, then a few more minutes for my baggage to go through screening, but across the airport, posted TSA wait times are averaging just 5 minutes.
— Eve Chen, flying from Atlanta
Boarding time
My flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale was on time. I arrived at the gate to find Concourse D uncrowded with plenty of empty seats.
My 10:15 a.m. flight began boarding at 9:45, and the line moved at a steady clip — despite it being “completely full,” according to a gate agent.
— Nathan Diller, flying from Nashville
In Atlanta’s E Concourse, several dozen travelers patiently lined up for agent assistance at the Delta counter. It’s still early in the day, which works in favor of those who need rebooking.
My flight appears to be delayed again, now to 11:50 a.m. Passengers have started gathering by the gate, chatting with one another and fiddling with their phones as they wait. I overheard one traveler say “Almost there, babe.” Almost there.
— Eve Chen, flying from Atlanta
My flight boarded after a two and a half hour delay, but I have a SkyClub cider and my Comfort seat is configured like Premium Select, so zero complaints.
Remember to thank TSA workers for keeping us moving and safe.
— Eve Chen, flying from Atlanta
Landing
My plane touched down at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) at 1:19 p.m. local time, about five minutes ahead of schedule.
The airport was bustling but not packed. The lanes at the TSA checkpoint were largely empty, and by the time I made it to baggage claim, there was no one waiting at my carousel.
There had been 44 cancellations and 189 delays at FLL as of about 2 p.m. Eastern time, according to FlightAware — but my travel day was as smooth as any before the shutdown.
— Nathan Diller, flying from Nashville
I arrived in Miami nearly three hours later than initially scheduled, and the jetway had trouble connecting to the plane, so that took even longer.
The passengers in front of me were anxious to catch their cruises in a few hours (it’s best to arrive a day early just in case). Another passenger squeezed her way up the aisle to try to make a tight connection. I don’t know if they made it, but I’m glad I did.
— Eve Chen, flying from Atlanta
Miami International Airport was bustling, but didn’t feel any busier than other times when I’ve flown through.
I was surprised to see 20% of its departing flights were delayed, according to FlightAware, but having it made sense since my plane was delayed arriving and would invariably turn around for another flight.
I didn’t have time to check out TSA lines in person upon arrival because I was late to meet an old friend, but the airport listed the waits for most checkpoints at under 10 minutes.
— Eve Chen, flying from Atlanta
What should I do if my flight is canceled?
"The best thing travelers can do is to be as proactive as possible, switching to a new flight," Scott Keyes, founder of Going, told USA TODAY. "When a flight gets canceled all of a sudden, hundreds of passengers need new itineraries. There may only be a handful of seats left on the best flights, and it's a first-come, first-(served) endeavor."
While flyers can always call the airline’s customer service number or speak to a representative at the airport, Keyes recommended going through their mobile app.
"Most airlines have made it simple for travelers to rebook themselves, free of charge,” he said in an email. “This allows you to pick the best flight for your situation, and do so without a lengthy hold or queue.”
If passengers need to speak with someone by phone, Keyes suggested calling one of the carrier’s international lines.
“Most airlines have phone numbers in countries around the world — Mexico, the U.K., Australia, etc. — and they have agents who can help rebook you just the same as U.S.-based agents can,” he said. “But those international hotlines have a fraction of the hold time as U.S. hotlines do.”
The delay rate – for delays under one hour – averaged 4.8% in September at U.S. airports, according to Hopper. That rose to 5.4% in October following the shutdown, and 5.8% so far in November.
“Cancellations have also increased from impacting 0.56% of flights in September to over 0.6% in October & November,” the company said in an email. The DOT’s planned flight reductions would cause more than 13,000 flights to be canceled or significantly delayed in the next week, Hopper estimated.
What am I owed if my flight is canceled or delayed?
Passengers are entitled to a full refund if an airline cancels their flight – regardless of the reason – and they choose not to rebook, according to DOT rules. The same goes for “significant” delays or changes.
Those include arrivals at least three hours later than originally scheduled on domestic trips, and international flights that get in at least six hours late. The DOT maintains a list of qualifying scenarios on its website, along with a dashboard of airline commitments for controllable delays and cancellations.
Even if the government shutdown is the cause of the delay or cancellation, Keyes wasn’t aware of any exceptions to those rules. “Travelers can take comfort from the fact that in 2020, when huge swaths of flights were canceled during the pandemic, federal regulators explicitly and repeatedly still required airlines to provide refunds,” he said.
The DOT did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Some airlines offer waivers that allow travelers to change their flights without paying change fees or fare differences. Major carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, have waivers in place related to the flight reduction.
Does travel insurance cover shutdown-related flight delays and cancellations?
That depends. “Some comprehensive travel insurance policies may help if your flight is delayed or canceled by the airline, but coverage for government shutdown-related disruptions can vary,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.
She noted that "cancel for any reason" coverage is the “best option for flexibility,” usually reimbursing between 50% and 75% of prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if policy-holders cancel at least 48 hours in advance.
Hopper saw a 40% increase in air travelers, adding its Disruption Assistance feature – which allows users to instantly rebook if their flight is delayed or canceled, or get a refund – overnight following the DOT’s announcement. “Since the start of the shutdown, sales of Disruption Assistance have skyrocketed over 60%,” the company said in an email.
Keyes noted that flight woes have helped end previous government shutdowns. “It's not inconceivable that many in Washington, D.C, are similarly looking to travel chaos this time as a path towards getting the government open again.”
(This story was updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY reporters find calm airports amid larger chaos during travel day
Reporting by Nathan Diller and Eve Chen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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