SLC airport braces for shutdown chaos as flight cuts loom
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Travelers at the Salt Lake City International Airport in 2020. Photo: George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Salt Lake City International Airport will likely see delays and cancellations if flights are cut this week, as the Federal Aviation Administration promised Wednesday amid the federal government shutdown.
The latest: The FAA said 10% of air traffic at 40 "high-traffic" U.S. airports will be cut starting Friday, if the shutdown continues.
- Regardless of whether SLC is among the targeted airports, connections and direct flights to and from those airports — and others — create a "domino effect," airport spokesperson Nancy Volmer told Axios on Wednesday.
- "At some point it will affect SLC," Volmer said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had threatened to shut down some U.S. airspace next week, making today's announcement a notably earlier shift.
- Air traffic controller shortages and disruptions have been used to pressure lawmakers to end the shutdown, Axios' Herb Scribner reports.
Meanwhile, The U.S. Travel Association and nearly 500 tourism organizations and companies have warned of a potential Thanksgiving travel meltdown if the government shutdown persists, reports Axios' Kelly Tyko.
Threat level: Thanksgiving is already one of the busiest travel weeks and a shutdown could make it even more chaotic, with longer lines, delays and cancellations.
Zoom in: SLC International has not "been experiencing cancellations or delays" yet, airport spokesperson Nancy Volmer told Axios on Wednesday.
- "But we're also in a slower period now in between the fall break holiday and then the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays," Volmer said.
Catch up quick: Travelers have already seen widespread disruptions at airports over staffing shortages.
The intrigue: Duffy and other Republicans — including Utah's Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Blake Moore — have used potential travel problems to pressure Democrats to accept the GOP's continuing resolution and end the shut down, which enters its 37th day Thursday.
- There were some indications that Senate Democrats were beginning to soften on Tuesday, Axios' Peter Sullivan reported.
Yes, but: Democrats renewed their push for their Senate peers to hold firm after sweeping victories in Tuesday's elections, which Trump himself attributed to the shutdown.
- Polling shows more Americans blame Republicans than Democrats.