LAX, other SoCal airports see more cancellations Tuesday as FAA cuts flight capacity by 6% across US
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Dozens of flights were cancelled out of Southern California airports Tuesday as flight delays and cancellations imposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation left travelers scrambling or stranded.
Some 1,528 flights within, into or out of the United States also were delayed on Tuesday, according to FlightAware, along with the 1,201 that had been canceled. At least 799 flights planned for Wednesday have also already been canceled, FlightAware said.
The FAA continues to limit capacity at 40 major U.S. airports.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, 53 flights had been delayed at Los Angeles International Airport and another 38 had been canceled.
Hollywood Burbank Airport had 4 flights delayed and one canceled, and John Wayne Airport in Orange County had three delays and six cancellations.
Long Beach Airport had one delays and zero cancellations.
Absences and signs of stress among traffic controllers, who haven't been paid in over a month, made it imperative to cut flights in the name of public safety, the FAA said, ordering domestic airlines last week to drop 4% of their flights at 40 major U.S. airports. After already canceling more than 7,900 since Friday, the goal for cutting flights rose to 6% on Tuesday and again to 10% on Friday.
The Senate passed legislation Monday to reopen the government, but the bill still needs to clear the House and final passage could be days away. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made clear last week that flight cuts will remain until the FAA sees safety metrics improve after staffing levels stabilize at its air traffic control facilities.
In addition to capacity reductions, the FAA is also limiting commercial space launches and re-entries to the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time. Parachute operations and photo missions near affected airports were also being prohibited.
Airports in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Ontario are among those impacted by the capacity cuts, but airfields not among the 40 on the list could still see ripple-effect impacts on flight operations.
LAX is the busiest airfield in California and among the top five in the nation.
Tuesday marks the second missed payday for controllers. Some have started calling out of work, citing stress and the need to take on second jobs.
It's unclear how quickly controllers might be paid once the shutdown ends - it took more than two months to receive full back pay after the 35-day shutdown that ended in 2019, said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to pressure controllers to "get back to work, NOW!!!" He called for a $10,000 bonus for those who've stayed on the job and suggested docking pay for those who haven't.
Daniels said the shutdown has made controllers' demanding jobs even more stressful, leading to fatigue and increased risks. He said the number who are retiring or quitting is "growing" by the day.
The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.
