Flight cancellations eased across the U.S. on Wednesday ahead of a House vote on a funding bill that could end the longest federal government shutdown in history.
House lawmakers could vote around 7 p.m. ET on the bill, which was passed by the Senate earlier this week. The shutdown again put air travel in the spotlight and heightened strains on air traffic controllers, who have been required to work without receiving their regularly scheduled paychecks.
On Wednesday, 811 U.S. departures were canceled, 3.5% of airlines’ schedule, the lowest rate since last Thursday, according to aviation-data firm Cirium.
Trump administration officials on Friday started requiring airlines to trim their schedules, citing safety risks and additional strain on controllers. But the cuts weren’t enough to avoid further disruptions that were worsened by widespread staffing shortages and bad weather, leading to an influx of cancellations and delays last weekend.
Delta Air Lines
