Sacramento airport spared from FAA flight cuts but nearby destinations aren’t

The Abridged version:

• The Federal Aviation Administration released a list of airports where flight traffic will be cut by 10% starting Friday.
• Sacramento International Airport is not on the list, but most of its destination airports are.
• Travelers should check directly with their airlines for updates.

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Those with plans to fly soon may want to consider bringing a good book or two with them to the airport.

As the federal government shutdown drags into unprecedented territory, the latest widespread disruptions will be trickling down to airline travelers just in time for the holidays. Thursday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration released a list of busy airports where air traffic would be cut by 10% due to ongoing staffing issues with air traffic controllers, who are not being paid while the federal government is shut down.

Sacramento International Airport is not on the list, but most of the destination airports serviced by SMF are.

“While Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is not currently subject to FAA flight operation limits, travelers may experience delays or schedule adjustments due to FAA restrictions at other airports. Airline schedules may change to accommodate national airspace management needs,” said Lindsay Myers, a spokesperson for the airport, in an emailed statement.

The cuts are set to begin Friday and are likely to impact local travelers. According to a list of departures on the SMF website, there were 50 departing flights between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Nov. 6. Of those, 34 were headed to airports that will be experiencing cutbacks.

The list of airports includes:

1. Anchorage International (ANC)
2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
3. Boston Logan International (BOS)
4. Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
5. Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
6. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
7. Dallas Love (DAL)
8. Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)
9. Denver International (DEN)
10. Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
11. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
12. Newark Liberty International (EWR)
13. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)
14. Honolulu International (HNL)
15. Houston Hobby (HOU)
16. Washington Dulles International (IAD)
17. George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
18. Indianapolis International (IND)
19. New York John F Kennedy International (JFK)
20. Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS)
21. Los Angeles International (LAX)
22. New York LaGuardia (LGA)
23. Orlando International (MCO)
24. Chicago Midway (MDW)
25. Memphis International (MEM)
26. Miami International (MIA)
27. Minneapolis/St Paul International (MSP)
28. Oakland International (OAK)
29. Ontario International (ONT)
30. Chicago O`Hare International (ORD)
31. Portland International (PDX)
32. Philadelphia International (PHL)
33. Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
34. San Diego International (SAN)
35. Louisville International (SDF)
36. Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)
37. San Francisco International (SFO)
38. Salt Lake City International (SLC)
39. Teterboro (TEB)
40. Tampa International (TPA)

Myers said that passengers should check directly with their airlines for scheduling updates.

Daniel Hennessy joins Abridged from the California Local News Fellowship. He’s a reporter covering Yolo County.