Hundreds of flights canceled nationwide due to government shutdown

The Federal Aviation Administration ’s unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide because of the record-long government shutdown took effect Friday morning, with some passengers trying to figure out backup travel plans.

Airlines scrambled to adjust their schedules and began canceling flights Thursday in anticipation of the FAA’s official order, while travelers with plans for the weekend and beyond waited nervously to learn if their flights would take off as scheduled. Airlines also planned cancellations into the weekend, directing passengers to check apps to learn their flight status.

The 40 airports selected by the FAA span more than two dozen states.

The FAA said the reductions would start at 4% and ramp up to 10% by Nov. 14. They are to be in effect between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and impact all commercial airlines.

The agency said the cutbacks are necessary to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who've been working without pay for more than a month. Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers of them have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount.

Here's the latest:

The cancellations at major airlines so far

Major airports across the country braced for cancellations on Friday as the result of the air traffic controller shortage created by the federal shutdown.

All 10 airports with the most cancellations had pulled approximately 3% to 4% of all departing flights.Here are the airports with the most cancellations as of noon ET on Friday:

— Chicago O’Hare International Airport: 40 cancelled flights

— Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: 39 cancelled flights

— Denver International Airport: 32 cancelled flights

— Los Angeles International Airport: 28 cancelled flights

— Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: 27 cancelled flights

— San Francisco International Airport, 24 cancelled flights

— Newark Liberty International Airport: 23 cancelled flights

Delta completes weekend cuts to flights

Delta Air Lines says it has completed all the cuts it plans to make for Friday, Saturday and Sunday to comply with the FAA order.

Customers have been notified if their flight is canceled and they have been automatically rebooked on the next best option. Refunds are available for anyone who does not want to travel.

Delta directed questions about how many flights have been canceled to the FlightAware numbers since these cuts are affecting the entire industry. FlightAware shows 851 cancellations Friday and 670 on Saturday and 274 on Sunday so far. By comparison, 202 flights were canceled Thursday.