While San Antonio International Airport is not among those directly affected, travelers flying through the Alamo City could still feel the ripple effects.
SAN ANTONIO — The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday it will reduce air traffic by about 10% across 40 airports nationwide in an effort to keep flights running safely amid staffing shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown.
While San Antonio International Airport is not among those directly affected, travelers flying through the Alamo City could still feel the ripple effects.
The partial government shutdown has now reached day 37, and air traffic controllers – many of whom have been working without pay continue to face mounting strain. The FAA says the cuts are meant to ease pressure on those workers after a surge in callouts and fatigue reports.
“Hopefully this government shutdown will end before Thanksgiving because a lot of people will hit the air at that time,” said traveler Musa Furr, who was seeing his mother off at San Antonio International Airport Wednesday.
Airports in Dallas and both Houston hubs are among those impacted by the FAA’s reduction. That means passengers flying through San Antonio on connecting flights could experience delays.
Furr said his mother, who is flying home through Houston, has already faced delays in recent weeks.
“She came down to visit a couple of weeks, and she’s flying back. Unfortunately, she got delayed because of the explosion at Louisville International Airport,” Furr said. “We’ve all heard about the FlightAware Misery Map – it’s pretty high as far as delays and everything.”
In a statement, San Antonio International Airport (SAT) said while it’s not among the airports directly affected, travelers should prepare for possible disruptions.
“While we are grateful that San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is not among the airports identified by the Federal Aviation Administration, it is possible that travelers may be impacted by reductions in service at other airports,” the statement read.
Frequent business traveler Daniel Becerril said he worries about the timing of the slowdown as the holiday season approaches.
“Maybe someone’s just trying to get home from vacation. They probably only had a budget for a certain amount of time. Now they have to stay longer – an extra day for a hotel, taxi fees, or whatever it might be,” he said.
“Everyone wants to be home for their family,” Becerril added. “The holidays are coming up, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s.”
The FAA emphasized that the temporary flight reductions are aimed at maintaining safety while ensuring remaining flights operate as smoothly as possible.