Brace for potential pain flying to and from San Diego
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
San Diego International Airport is one of 40 major U.S. airports expecting to cut daily flights by up to 10% starting Friday.
The big picture: Air traffic controller shortages linked to the longest-ever government shutdown are already delaying or canceling flights for San Diego travelers and thousands of others nationwide.
Zoom in: SAN has seen an average of 600 daily arrivals and departures this month, according to airport spokesperson Larisa Casillas, so a 10% reduction could cut as many as 60 flights.
- Passengers should check their flight status before coming to the airport and should arrive at least two hours before their flight.
State of play: The shutdown started affecting operations at SAN this week, with flight delays caused by air traffic controller staffing issues.
- The San Diego airport and Southern California TRACON, which controls air traffic coming into and out of a 9,000-mile area, were dealing with understaffing before the shutdown.
- SAN is the country's busiest single-runway airport, and 2024 was its busiest year ever, with 25.24 million passengers traveling through the airport.
Zoom out: The list of affected airports hasn't been finalized as of Thursday afternoon, but it's expected to include essentially all of the busiest U.S. airfields.
- United, American and Delta say they're trying to make the requested cuts while minimizing disruptions — by axing flights at periphery airports, for example.
- Most major airlines are offering free refunds if flights are canceled or rebooked without penalty, even for basic economy and nonrefundable tickets.
What they're saying: At a Wednesday press conference, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA administrator Bryan Bedford framed the cuts as a way to preserve safety.
- "We're not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating," Bedford said, referring to reports of air safety issues tied to staffing problems.
Between the lines: The FAA has been working with airlines on how to actually implement the flight reductions, which are meant to relieve pressure on employees.
- Air traffic controllers' second $0 paycheck in a row arrives next week; they've been working without pay since Oct. 1.
- "Controllers are resigning every day now because of the prolonged nature of the shutdown," Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told CNN on Thursday.
What's next: More cuts could come, threatening Thanksgiving travel, which is typically one of the busiest times for San Diego's airport.
Go deeper: What to do if the FAA cuts or cancels your flight