Dozens of flights cancelled at the Atlanta airport as FAA begins reducing air traffic
Dozens of flights were cancelled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday morning, as airlines began complying with the Federal Aviation Administration's order to reduce air traffic by 10% as the government shutdown continues.
Atlanta is just one of the 40 "high-volume" airports selected by the FAA.
As of Friday afternoon, 86 inbound and outbound flights had been cancelled at the "world's busiest airport," according to data from FlightAware. More than 300 flights have reported delays.
While passengers affected by the cancellations will receive refunds, U.S. airlines are not required to pay additional cash compensation and cover lodging and meals for passengers who are stranded.
After the FAA's announcement, a Delta Air Lines spokesperson told CBS News Atlanta that the airline was working to minimize the impact on customers.
The spokesperson confirmed that Delta would scratch roughly 170 flights on Friday. American Airlines planned to cut 220 a day through Monday.
The affected airlines are suggesting passengers with plans into the weekend monitor their apps to see any changes to their flights.
Many of the routes slashed on Friday were shuttle flights in the Northeast and Florida, along with those between Dallas and smaller cities, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Air traffic controllers under pressure with no pay
The FAA said the cuts are necessary to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for more than a month. Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers of them have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount.
Ending the shutdown would ease the situation for controllers, but the FAA said the flight cuts will remain in place until their safety data improves.
Frustrated travelers searching for alternatives
For travelers with cancelled flights, renting a car may be the only option.
"I have work on Monday, but I also want to sleep in my bed. I don't want to have to pay for a hotel room and sleep here," one traveler at Hartsfield-Jackson told CBS News Atlanta.
David Shae, an Atlanta-based travel expert, says one-way car rentals may not be as pricy as they have been historically.
"I have to do this myself... I have a job in Vegas and I'm driving to Palm Springs. Why not rent a car?" Shae said. "It was literally the same price."
But before you rent, Shae says there are things you should consider, such as the fine print and options for insurance.
Ultimately, Shae says there are important preparations passengers can make before setting foot in an airport. For many who buy airline tickets on credit cards, some programs offer benefits like trip delay insurance that travelers might not be aware of.
For paid passengers who need the ultimate insurance, Shae recommends buying a backup ticket.
Still, many people will opt for a car rental. Companies like Hertz have said they've seen a spike in one-way bookings, so if there's somewhere you absolutely need to be, it might make sense to reserve a car as backup, and sooner rather than later.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.