San Francisco International Airport is preparing for an air traffic cut that could result in a 10% cut over the next week, as air traffic controller shortages linked to the government shutdown trigger slowdowns at airports nationwide.
Disruptions to travel during that week could affect personal travel and also negatively impact local economies.
60% of Americans are already reconsidering travel plans amid uncertainty.
Driving the news: A 4% "reduction in operations" took effect Friday at 40 airports nationwide, "ramping up" to 6% by Tuesday, 8% by Nov. 13 and 10% by Nov. 14, per a Thursday evening emailed statement from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration administrator Bryan Bedford.
The big picture: SFO is among the 40 U.S. airports affected.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Oakland International Airport (OAK) are also impacted.
The latest: United, American and Delta say they're trying to make the requested cuts while minimizing disruptions.
Many airlines are also offering refunds, even on nonrefundable or basic economy tickets.
