2 min read
Travelers check in for their flights at the ticket counter at the Portland International Jetport on Nov. 7. The jetport says more than one-third of flights over the past week have either been delayed or canceled amid new federal restrictions on air traffic prompted by the now-resolved government shutdown. (Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer)

More than a third of flights at the Portland International Jetport have been delayed or canceled since the Federal Aviation Administration announced last week that it would limit air traffic in high-volume markets. 

Jetport officials had warned passengers to anticipate significant flight cancellations after the FAA announced that it was planning to reduce flights by 10% across 40 major airports to maintain safety during the government shutdown.

After the reopening of the government Wednesday night, an updated emergency order from the FAA froze flight reductions at 6% until further notice. While the jetport is not on the list of affected airports, the vast majority of its flights go to and from 15 of the airports on the list.

During the first six days of flight restrictions, the jetport has had 414 scheduled flights, 122 delays (nearly 30% of flights) and 36 cancellations (nearly 9% of flights), jetport officials said Thursday.

“We are pleased to see the U.S. government reopening,” airport director Paul Bradbury said in a statement. “While it is great news that our federal partners will be receiving paychecks soon, the operational impacts of national flight restrictions will continue until the FAA determines it is appropriate to rescind the emergency order.”

Jetport officials said travelers should still check their flight status before heading to the airport. All airlines serving the jetport have issued travel advisories allowing passengers to change flights to later dates or receive a refund for canceled flights.

Gillian Graham reports on social services for the Portland Press Herald, covering topics including child welfare, homelessness, food insecurity, poverty and mental health. A lifelong Mainer and graduate...

Join the Conversation

Please sign into your CentralMaine.com account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.