The federal government shutdown has entered its second week, and already shortages of air traffic controllers have strained operations and disrupted flights at some U.S. airports.
Reagan National Airport became the latest this week to report delays because of staffing issues Wednesday. But earlier in the week there were problems at airports in Chicago, Newark, Denver and Nashville, and the tower even had to shut down in Burbank, California.
Experts, as well as union leaders representing air traffic controllers and security screeners, warn that the impact could grow significantly worse if the shutdown continues and employees start to miss paychecks.
Here’s what to know about your rights as a passenger and what you can do if delays and cancellations start piling up:
Check before going to the airport
It is better to be stuck at home or in a hotel than to be stranded in an airport terminal, so use the airline’s app or flight websites to make sure that your flight is still on before heading to the airport. This FAA site can be checked to see if there are widespread delays at your airport.
Kyle Potter, executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, cautioned that it can be hard to get compensation when there are problems.
“In the United States, Americans have shockingly few rights as travelers. When things go wrong, it’s really left up to the airline industry to decide what it means to do right by customers," Potter said.
My flight was canceled. Now what?
If you are already at the airport, it is time to find another flight. Get in line to speak to a customer service representative, and call or go online to connect to the airline’s reservations staff. It also helps to reach out on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, because airlines might respond quickly there.
Airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge. The good news right now is that this is not a peak travel time, so travelers stand a better chance of finding seats. But the busy holiday season is right around the corner with Thanksgiving next month and Christmas in December. At those peak times, passengers might have to wait days for a seat on a new flight.
Can I ask to be booked on another airline?
You can, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight. Some airlines, including the biggest ones except Southwest and the discount airlines, say they can put you on a partner airline, but even then it’s often hit or miss. Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com, has recommended researching alternate flights while you wait to talk to an agent.
Am I owed a refund?
If you no longer want to take the trip, or have found another way of getting to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money, even if you bought a non-refundable ticket. It doesn’t matter why the flight was canceled.
"If the airline cancels your flight, you can say, ‘Alright. I will take a refund and get my money back,’ ” Potter said. “The important piece is that you get your payment returned to you. You’re not just settling for an airline voucher that may expire in a year or less.”
You are also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras that you didn’t get to use.
Can I get compensation?
U.S. airlines are not required to pay additional cash compensation and cover lodging and meals for passengers who are stranded, even if a flight cancellation is the airline’s fault.
The Biden administration proposed a rule that would have changed that and required airlines to pay passengers for delays and cancellations in more circumstances. But the Trump administration scrapped that last month and the airlines praised him for doing so.
Travel insurance might help if you bought a policy when you booked or used a travel credit card that offers that product. But Potter said you shouldn't assume you will be covered even if you do have insurance. Check the fine print to see if you are covered in situations like this when a shortage of workers causes problems.
What airlines will cover
Each airline has its own policy. The U.S. Department of Transportation has a site that lets consumers see the commitments that each airline makes for refunds and covering other expenses when flights are canceled or significantly delayed.
Other tips
If lots of flights are canceled, airline agents will soon be swamped. If you are in a group and one person belongs to a higher level of the airline’s frequent-flyer program, use the number associated with that person to call the airline. You also can try calling your airline’s international help number — usually available online — because those agents can make changes in your itinerary too.
Be nice. The agent you’re talking to is probably dealing with other frustrated travelers, too, and screaming at the agent won’t make them want to help you. The cancellation isn’t their fault.
Consider other options
If these problems do become more widespread, you could consider whether it makes sense to travel by train or car or bus instead, but there's really no way to predict when and where a staff shortage might happen. And the ongoing shortage of controllers is so critical that even a small number of absences can cause problems.
Potter said the shutdown is different from when a single airline is having problems and travelers can just pick another airline. This is creating problems for entire airports at once.
“This is the entire airport-airline infrastructure," Potter said. "As these problems expand and spread the longer the shutdown drags on, it’s unlikely that there will be one airline running on time if the rest of the them are failing. It’s going to affect the entire system over time.”
