Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport officials are urging travelers to check with their airlines, even as the Warwick airport so far remains unaffected by the Trump administration’s plan to cut flights starting Friday to ease pressure on unpaid air traffic controllers during the federal shutdown.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would restrict air travel in 40 “high-traffic” areas beginning Friday. The Associated Press on Thursday reported a list of affected airports, which includes Boston Logan International Airport and airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
T.F. Green is not on the list, but airport spokesperson Bill Fischer said in a statement that “every airport in the country will likely be impacted by this situation in some manner.”
“We are working with every airline that services PVD to understand local impacts,” Fischer said. “Each airline will have to make independent decisions on how they will operate.”
Airlines that serve the T.F. Green are Allegiant, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Sun Country, and United.
Breeze Airways spokesperson McKinnley Matson said early indications suggest a minimal impact to the airline’s operations at its growing base of operations at T.F. Green.
“The safety of our Guests remains our top priority and we’re committed to working with those who are impacted to ensure they’re fully supported. We’ll transparently communicate any updates to our Guests as we learn more.
Reached for comment Thursday, the FAA issued an automated response that due to a lapse in funding, the agency is not responding to routine media inquiries — though it did include a statement on air traffic controller staffing.
“As Secretary Duffy has said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system,” the automated response stated. “When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations.”
Air traffic controllers have worked without pay since the shutdown began Oct. 1, many logging six-day weeks with mandatory overtime.
“It’s pretty tragic,” Sal Corio, president of the Rhode Island Pilots Association, said in an interview Thursday. “I can’t imagine having to go home from work each and every single day and not taking in any pay.”
That’s why the association is in the midst of collecting money to support the 39 Rhode Island air traffic controllers and their families amid the ongoing shutdown. Corio declined to share how much has been collected for gift cards but said the total will be announced at the group’s annual meeting Tuesday, where some controllers will speak about their work.
General aviation pilots don’t often rely on the system of controllers, except when flying through inclement weather. But Corio said without the air traffic controllers, the system falls apart.
“They’re essential workers,” he said.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
