What we know about potential flight reductions at Tampa International Airport

If you plan to travel during the government shutdown, you may want to double-check your flight plans.

Starting Friday, travelers can expect fewer flights to many major cities. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will reduce traffic by 10% across 40 airports, including Tampa International. It's an attempt to ease the load on the country's air traffic controllers amid the government shutdown.

FAA Secretary Sean Duffy said the decision is about making sure that when people fly, they're making it to their destination safely.

A list obtained by The Associated Press showed which airports will be affected.

Other Florida locations include Orlando International Airport, Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, along with other major hubs, are also on the list.

Here's what we know so far.

What's happening at Tampa International?

As of Thursday afternoon, officials at Tampa International said they don't have an "official list of facilities" where the reductions will take effect and they didn't know how the plan will be implemented in each market.

In a social media post Thursday, the airport said it has not seen cancellations and its TSA checkpoints have been running smoothly.

Tampa's airport is the 27th largest airport in the country and has around 600 flights daily. This includes both commercial and private.

Airlines set the flight schedules and will implement any changes in coordination with the FAA. Tampa International does not manage these schedules, so any changes are determined and communicated by individual carriers, airport officials said.

Which airlines are at Tampa International?

The airport has Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Avianca, Breeze Airways, British Airways, Cayman Airways, Copa Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Discover Airlines, Edelweiss Air, Frontier, Havana Air, JetBlue, Porter Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United, Virgin Atlantic and WestJet.

Here's the list of how to contact each airline.

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.

Check this FAA site to see if there are widespread delays at your airport.

How long will this go on?

It's hard to say. Even if the shutdown ends soon, the FAA has said it would not lift the flight restrictions until staffing at airport towers and regional air traffic center makes it safe to do so

“It’s going to take time to work through this,” said Michael Johnson, president of Ensemble Travel, an association of travel agencies in the U.S. and Canada.

That's why, he said, it's important to plan ahead — whether you've already booked flights or you're just starting to make holiday travel plans.

Passengers were expected to get notified by airlines on Thursday if their flights are canceled. But it's a good idea to check your airline’s app or a flight-tracking site for updates before you leave for the airport.

Airlines say they are trying to minimize the impact on their customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice. United Airlines, for example, says it would focus the cuts on its regional routes that use smaller planes.

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 can also help to reach out on X because airlines might respond quickly there.

The good news is that early November is not a peak travel time, so travelers stand a better chance of getting seats on other planes. But the busy holiday season is just weeks away, and passengers might have to wait days for a seat on a new flight.

Consider other travel options

Now might be the time to consider if it makes sense to travel by train, car or bus instead.

Kyle Potter, executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, said the shutdown is different from when a single airline is having problems and travelers can just pick another carrier. Shortages of air traffic controllers can create problems for entire airports and multiple airlines at once.

“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 them are failing,” Potter said.

Can I get compensation?

U.S. airlines are not required to pay additional cash compensation or to cover lodging and meals for passengers who are stranded, even if a flight cancellation or a severe delay is the airline’s fault.

The Biden administration had proposed a rule that would have changed that and required airlines to pay passengers for delays and cancellations in more circumstances, with compensation proposed between about $200 and as high as $775. But the Trump administration scrapped that last month, and the airlines praised him for doing so.

But the U.S. Department of Transportation has a site that lets consumers see the commitments that each carrier makes for refunds and covering other expenses when flights are canceled or significantly delayed.

Other tips

Travel insurance could 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 have insurance. Check the fine print to see if you are covered in situations like this when a shortage of workers causes flight disruptions.

If many flights are canceled, airline agents will soon be overwhelmed by requests. If you're traveling in a group with someone who has a higher status in the airline's loyalty program, call using their frequent flyer number. You may get quicker service.

You can also try calling your airline’s international support number, which is usually listed online and may have shorter wait times.

This story will be updated when more information is released.

AP Airlines and Travel Writer Rio Yamat contributed to this report.