BALTIMORE — Travelers at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport are growing increasingly anxious as flight cancellations mount nationwide amid the ongoing government shutdown.
On Tuesday alone, 27 additional flights were canceled at BWI, adding to dozens more cancellations over the weekend and Monday. Nationwide, 6% of U.S. flights have now been canceled — a number expected to rise to 10% by the end of the week if the shutdown continues.
“Very nerve-wracking, checking my phone all day today to see whether Southwest, which is the airline I’m flying, is canceling the flight,” said Ari Asag from Columbia, Maryland, who’s traveling to Chicago.
Many travelers at BWI said they spent the day glued to their phones, anxiously monitoring airline updates.
“Mostly just a lot of worry that I was even going to be able to get home,” said Mirabel Boctoi of Dundalk, who was heading to Buffalo, New York. “My mom’s sick right now, so getting there was the most important thing.”
Major Airlines Cancel Hundreds of Flights
Southwest Airlines confirmed it canceled 155 domestic flights on Tuesday and another 145 on Wednesday. American Airlines said it canceled about 200 flights over the same two-day period.
The wave of disruptions comes as the federal shutdown enters its longest stretch in U.S. history, leaving air travel infrastructure strained and understaffed.
Holiday Travel Still at Risk — Even If Shutdown Ends
Even if Congress passes the Senate-backed spending bill and the president signs it this week, the effects on air travel could linger well into the holiday season, officials warn.
The Department of Transportation says that before normal flight operations can resume, specific safety and staffing benchmarks must be met in the skies and at control towers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said air traffic controllers could receive 70% of their owed pay within two days after the government reopens — but many other aviation workers won’t be compensated for lost income.
As November progresses, concerns about Thanksgiving travel are growing.
“We are not going to get to Thanksgiving,” Duffy warned. “You’re going to see this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — big disruption thus far, and massively more as we come into the weekend if the government doesn’t open.”
Pilots and Flight Attendants Feeling the Pinch
While air traffic controllers and TSA agents continue to work without pay, airline pilots and flight attendants are also being hit financially.
Commercial pilot Joshua Schirard explained that most pilots earn a base monthly salary, with opportunities to make extra money by flying additional hours or premium routes.
“We’re seeing a lot of that dialing back — those extra flights and those opportunities for pilots to make that extra money,” Schirard said.
Flight attendants, who are typically paid per flight hour, are also losing income as flight schedules shrink.
Air Traffic Control Shortages Causing Major Delays
Staffing shortages at air traffic control centers are another growing concern, leading to ground stops and cascading flight delays.
These delays can cut into pilots’ federally limited duty hours, forcing them to “time out” and legally preventing them from flying additional segments.
“He’s getting backed up to his duty time for the day,” Schirard explained. “He’s likely to time out before his last segment, which means now we’ve got to find another crew.”
As travelers brace for the holiday rush, many are wondering whether the skies will clear in time. For now, the answer remains up in the air.
