The U.S. government shutdown is beginning to affect the aviation sector, raising concerns for Caribbean tourism.
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to scale back operations at 40 major airports, including Miami, Atlanta, and New York — key hubs for travelers heading to destinations such as Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, and Barbados.
Air traffic controllers continue to work without pay, and airlines have started trimming short-haul domestic routes that connect passengers to international flights.
The FAA plans to gradually reduce flight capacity by up to 10 percent over the next week. About 780 flights, or 3 percent of Friday’s 25,000 scheduled departures, were canceled, though most travelers were rebooked on other flights, according to aviation data firm Cirium.
