Fliers scramble as cuts begin; pain will grow

Cancellations to rise as shutdown persists. Nation's controllers are taking side jobs.

- BY JENNY JARVIE, SUHAUNA HUSSAIN, KAREN GARCIA AND HANNAH FRY

MARSHA TAULTON, right, waits for a flight home to Houston at LAX on Friday. Passengers were warned that flights could be canceled with little notice.

Christina House Los Angeles Times

Travelers got their first taste of what is expected to be worsening cuts in commercial air traffic due to the government shutdown, bringing delays, anxiety and confusion to airports across the nation.

By some measures, the level of chaos was less than some feared, but government officials warned that flight cancellations are set to increase over the next few days.

According to an emergency order released by the Trump administration, airlines had to cut flights by 4% on Friday and then ramp up to 6% by Tuesday, 8% by Thursday and 10% by Nov. 14. The administration said that number could rise to 20% if the shutdown continues.

Lauren Chavez had scrolled through horror story after horror story on TikTok about the government shutdown leading to long delays and cancellations at U.S. airports, with people camping out in terminals for hours.

Out of an abundance of caution, the 28-year-old had arrived at Los Angeles International Airport — her fiance and 4-year-old daughter in tow — six hours early for their 3:55 p.m. Southwest flight back home to Albuquerque.

But all was relatively quiet Friday as she sat cross-legged in bustling Terminal 1 after a few days at Disneyland and California Adventure.

Besides a few flights delayed by 30 minutes to an hour, most appeared to be running on schedule.

"We anticipated long TSA lines," Chavez said as her daughter clambered into her lap, watching a video on her mom's phone, as people checked in for flights around them.

Since the government announced this week it would be requiring airlines to reduce the number of flights to minimize risk during the government shutdown, travelers have been bracing for significant disruptions.