Compliance with now famous “sequester” will soon may hit the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to the sequester each federal program including salaries paid to air traffic controllers are required to be cut by a certain percentage. Most Federal employees will be subject to work furloughs.
If work hours of air traffic controllers are cut, it will definitely impact air travel resulting flight cancellation and delays. Published reports indicate that current flight delays due to bad weather or others in the U.S. stands at 3,000 a day. If furloughs take effect as planned this number could reach 6,000 flight delays and cancellation a day impacting air travelers on vacation or otherwise.
The anticipated delays and cancellations are sure to put pressure on the Congress and the President to work together to find a suitable solution. Most of the Congress travel between home state and Washington D.C. on weekly basis and it will impact there travel too. Travelers on holidays and others should be aware of the possibility and plan their vacations accordingly. Check with your airline and your travel agent to find a way to get around if flight delays or cancellations are reported due to air traffic controllers complying with the sequester.