Some flights at MSP canceled on first day of government-mandated cutbacks

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was reporting at least 18 canceled flights as of Friday afternoon — the first day of a federal government mandate to airlines to reduce the number of flights.

The flight-tracking website FlightAware put the number of affected flights to and from MSP at 39 as of mid-afternoon Friday. Travelers should check with their airline to confirm their flight’s status, amid the evolving situation.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the cuts are needed for safety reasons, amid air traffic control staffing shortages that have been exacerbated during the federal shutdown.

The Twin Cities airport is among 40 major airports in the U.S. targeted for the cuts. The FAA’s order directed airlines to reduce the number of flights to and from those airports by 4 percent starting Friday, ramping up to 10 percent next week.

Travelers move through the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Friday, the first day of a federal government mandate to airlines to reduce the number of flights.

Estelle Timar-Wilcox | MPR News

Nationwide, the Associated Press reported that more than 800 flights were canceled Friday.

Some airlines have said they will prioritize keeping hub-to-hub flights, so the cancellations may have a greater impact on regional flights. As of early Friday, reported cancellations included a handful of — but not all — flights between the Twin Cities and other Midwest airports, including Duluth, Rochester, Sioux Falls, Green Bay, Wis., and Minot, N.D.

Karen Baxter was at MSP on Friday morning to pick up her sister, who was returning to Minnesota from Tennessee. Her planned evening flight from Knoxville was canceled — so she made a last-minute switch to a morning flight.

“I know that they’re doing the best they can,” Baxter said. “We have a friend coming in tonight as well from D.C. — so far as we know, her plans have not been affected. But we know everybody is doing what they can, so we just hope everybody can get where they need to go.”

Daunten and Dawn Veit were flying out of the Twin Cities on Friday, heading to Phoenix. Their flight was operating as scheduled — and they weren’t too concerned about their flight back home to Minnesota.

“Oh, shucks, being trapped in 80-degree weather?” Daunten Veit said with a laugh. “No, we’re not worried.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.