Despite the federal government shutdown, flight delays and unpaid staff, BWI Marshall Airport has experienced less disruption than many of the other 40 major hubs targeted for a 10% reduction in air traffic by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to travelers and flight data.
As the Senate advances a deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, airports around the country have reduced flights and services with airports in Los Angeles and New York seeing hundreds of delays on Sunday, according to data from the flight tracking system FlightAware.
However at BWI, the impact so far has been muted. BWI wait times have barely been affected, with flight reductions and delays happening at rates only marginally higher than usual.
As of Tuesday evening, BWI had 29 delays and 27 cancellations in the past 24 hours, according to FlightAware.
According to a BWI spokesperson and data from the flight tracking system FlightAware, 38 flights were canceled and 189 flights were delayed at BWI on Monday. On Sunday, 36 flight were canceled and 280 were delayed; and on Saturday, 41 flights were canceled and 145 were delayed. The cancellations include those that were unrelated to the FAA’s new guidelines.
Overall, BWI had a 4% cancellation rate and a 35% delay rate on Sunday, numbers that are within the range of standard BWI operations, although the number of canceled flights is expected to rise.
Passengers like Anne Shaw said they didn’t see a difference in their airport experience, even though two of the main security checkpoints, B and C, were closed as of Monday.
“I haven’t really noticed a difference to be honest with you,” Shaw, from Baltimore, who was taking a Southwest Airlines flight to Cleveland on Monday night.
All of that may change by Friday when greater flight reductions are expected to be in place, depending on the progress of the bill to end the government shutdown, which has already passed the Senate and is on its way to the House.
In a statement to The Baltimore Sun, the FAA said it is still aiming to reach a 10% reduction in flights across the country even with the shutdown potentially ending soon.
“Since the beginning of the shutdown, controllers have been working without pay, and staffing triggers at air traffic facilities across the country have been increasing,” according to the statement. “This has resulted in increased reports of strain on the system from both pilots and air traffic controllers.”
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, BWI had an overall delay rate of 31% in 2024 and a cancellation rate of 1%. Delays also depend on the airline, with some, like American Airlines, having higher rates of delays and cancellations.
“Due to the FAA-mandated flight reductions, passengers may experience cancellations or delays in their travel,” Jonathan Dean, spokesperson with BWI, said. “The carriers are working to modify their schedules in a way to minimize impact on their passengers. Travelers are advised to check flight schedules with their airlines.”
Despite the reconfiguration of BWI, with two out of three security checkpoints closed and passengers mostly checking in on kiosks rather than with an employee, wait times for TSA on Monday night were between 1 and 7 minutes for general, priority, TSA pre-check and CLEAR lines.
Transportation Security Administration staff have been working without pay since the shutdown began. In a statement sent to The Sun, TSA asked the public to be patient with its workforce being “forced to work” while unpaid.
“While the vast majority of TSA’s nationwide operations remain minimally impacted by the government shutdown, occasional delays at some security checkpoints are to be expected,” according to the statement. “The longer the shutdown goes on, the more severe the impact on our TSA workforce who have expenses they must pay for, making it harder to show up for work when not being paid.”
Have a news tip? Contact Chevall Pryce at cpryce@baltsun.com.
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