Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are among 40 across the U.S. that are set to see flight cuts starting Friday because of the government shutdown, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by The Associated Press.

U.S. airlines began canceling hundreds of flights on Thursday because of the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce traffic at the country’s busiest airports starting Friday to maintain travel safety as unpaid air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the shutdown.

The FAA announced Wednesday that it would reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets.

More than 760 planned Friday flights were cut from airline schedules, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions. That number, already four times higher than Thursday’s daily total, was likely to keep climbing.

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the U.S. — including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities — such as New York, Houston and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.

In a statement Thursday, Jeff Lea, Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman, said officials are “actively monitoring updates regarding announced FAA-mandated flight reductions. As of now, MSP is experiencing normal operations. However, if reductions are enacted, travelers should be prepared for flight disruptions at MSP and other airports across the country. Travelers should check with their airline for the latest flight information.”

The Metropolitan Airports Commission owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The FAA said in its official order published Thursday evening that the reductions will start at 4% on Friday and ramp up to 10% by Nov. 14.

They are to be in effect between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time and impact all commercial airlines.

The decision to reduce service at “high-volume” markets also comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Democrats in Congress to end the shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history.

“With continued delays and unpredictable staffing shortages, which are driving fatigue, risk is further increasing, and the FAA is concerned with the system’s ability to maintain the current volume of operations,” the order reads.

Airlines respond

Hours before the reductions went into place, airlines were scrambling to figure out where to cut. American Airlines said it reduced its schedule at the listed airports by 4% from Friday through Monday, about 220 cancellations each day, and would increase from there to the 10% target. The carrier said its international schedule was expected to remain untouched.

United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes. United, Delta Air Lines and American said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly — even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable.

The head of Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.

Delta, based in Atlanta, is the Twin Cities’ dominant carrier and runs a hub at MSP.

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Passengers with plans for the weekend and beyond waited nervously to see if their flights would take off as scheduled. Some travelers began changing or canceling itineraries preemptively.

Fallon Carter canceled her Friday flight from New York to Tampa, Fla., where she planned to spend the weekend at the beach. She was worried about making it back to Long Island to be a bridesmaid at her best friend’s wedding.

“I don’t know if I get there, will I get home?” Carter said.

Smaller carriers

The restrictions also apply to a subset of smaller carriers that operate scheduled charter flights. International flights do not have to be reduced, according to the FAA.

“This is going to have a noticeable impact across the U.S. air transportation system,” industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said.

The flight reductions just weeks before the busy holiday season prompted some travelers to change their plans or look at other options.

The FAA is imposing the reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1, and have been increasingly taking sick days. Most controllers work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills unless they call out sick.

The past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.

From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an AP analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, was well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.

In recent weeks the FAA has delayed flights when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers. The cuts also could disrupt package deliveries because two airports with major distribution centers are on the list — FedEx operates at the airport in Memphis, Tenn., and UPS in Louisville, Ky.

Airlines are used to dealing with canceling thousands of flights on short notice during severe weather, but the difference now is that these cuts during the shutdown will last indefinitely until safety data improves.

straining travel

The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and damaging confidence in the U.S. air travel experience, said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman.

Kelly Matthews, who lives in Flat Rock, Mich., and flies every week, said she canceled most of her upcoming trips and understands why federal airport employees have stopped showing up.

“You can’t expect people to go in to work when they’re not getting a paycheck for the continuation of over a month now,” she said.

“I mean it’s not a matter of them not wanting to do the job — but you can’t afford to pay for gas, your day care and everything else.”

Pioneer Press reports were used in this story.