Delta Air. (Birmingham Airport Authority)

As one might have predicted, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nationwide ordered-reduction in flights affected Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) this weekend.

There were a number of cancellations and delays on Sunday and a few more on the board for Monday, according to Kim Hunt, VP of Communications for the Birmingham Airport Authority.

Last week, the FAA told airlines to reduce their daily domestic flights at 40 major airports by 4%. The agency expects airlines to reduce flights to 6% on Tuesday, 8% on Thursday and 10% on Friday. They cite air traffic control staffing shortages during the government shutdown as the culprit for the reduction in flights.

Flight cancellations and delays

Worried about delays and flight cancellations?

Hunt advises travelers to do the following:

Make certain your contact information is up to date with your airline so you can receive notifications when flight schedules change
Travelers need to check the status of their flights early and often
If your flight is canceled, check with your airline for rebooking or a refund

In addition to the FAA ordered flight reductions, some delays and cancellations may occur this week because of an early winter snowstorm that has dumped upwards of a half-foot of snow in parts of Illinois and Indiana.

“We are also looking at some wintery weather in parts of the country in the next 24 hours. This mixed in with the government shutdown related disruption could make things even more challenging for travelers, depending on their destination.

“Safety and security remain paramount at BHM and we appreciate the work being done by the airlines and our federal partners.”

Kim Hunt, VP of Communications for the Birmingham Airport Authority

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