How will SLO County travelers be impacted by air traffic cuts?
As the government shutdown drags on, the Federal Aviation Administration has announced a plan to cut air traffic by 10% at 40 airports nationwide, and the impact could trickle down to travelers at San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.
The reductions were set to start on Friday with no end date. A preliminary list of airports impacted included five in California — San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Ontario and San Diego.
According to the Los Angeles Times, up to 1,800 flights a day could be canceled nationwide, with nearly 10% of the cuts likely to be at California airports. Some major airlines have already said they will waive cancellation fees.
“We do not expect (the SLO County airport) to be one of the 40 airports directly named in the order,” airport spokesperson Joe Goble told The Tribune. “However, we do anticipate potential ripple effects throughout the nationwide system, which could indirectly impact flight schedules here.”
Goble said the airport has not received any information about specific schedule changes at the airport yet, but they are closely monitoring the situation.
He encouraged all travelers to check directly with their airlines for flight status updates before heading to the airport.
