Flight cancellations begin at LAX, ONT as federal travel cuts take effect
Airlines have warned passengers about possible delays and cancellations as the U.S. government-mandated flight reductions begin. With no resolution to the government shutdown in sight, travelers departing from Los Angeles, Ontario, and San Diego international airports are told to expect further disruptions.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has started enforcing a 10% nationwide reduction in flight capacity at major airports. According to FlightAware, nearly 700 Friday flights were removed from airline schedules — a figure four times higher than Thursday’s total — and the number continues to rise.
San Francisco Airport under full ground stop
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) went into a complete ground stop shortly before 4 a.m. Friday due to staffing shortages, based on an FAA advisory. No arriving aircraft were permitted to land at SFO that morning.
“Due to staffing, departure traffic destined to San Francisco International Airport … will not be allowed to depart until at or after 8:45 a.m. PST,”
stated an air traffic notice from the airport, as reported by NBC News Bay Area. The disruption may also affect departing flights, the advisory added.
At 4 a.m., average ground delays at SFO reached one hour and six minutes, according to a separate FAA update. Air traffic controllers have continued working without pay since the shutdown began in October.
Author’s summary
Flight cancellations escalate across Southern California and San Francisco airports as federal shutdown-driven staffing shortages force a 10% nationwide capacity cut.