Travelers around the U.S. have faced headaches amid the federal government shutdown.

Those could worsen this weekend. The Department of Transportation announced plans to reduce flights by 10% at 40 major airports by the end of the week, aiming to alleviate pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay.

"I think it's going to lead to more cancellations, but we are going to work with the airlines to do this in a systematic way," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during a Nov. 5 press briefing. The changes will begin on Nov. 7 if a deal to reopen the government is not reached.

Here’s what travelers should know if their flights are impacted.

What should I do if my flight is canceled?

“The best thing travelers can do is to be as proactive as possible switching to a new flight,” Scott Keyes, founder of Going, told USA TODAY. “When a flight gets canceled, all of a sudden hundreds of passengers need new itineraries. There may only be a handful of seats left on the best flights, and it's a first-come, first-(served) endeavor.”

While flyers can always call the airline’s customer service number or speak to a representative at the airport, Keyes recommended going through their mobile app.

“Most airlines have made it simple for travelers to rebook themselves, free of charge,” he said in an email. “This allows you to pick the best flight for your situation, and do so without a lengthy hold or queue.”

If passengers need to speak with someone by phone, Keyes suggested calling one of the carrier’s international lines.

“Most airlines have phone numbers in countries around the world – Mexico, the U.K., Australia, etc. – and they have agents who can help rebook you just the same as U.S.-based agents can,” he said. “But those international hotlines have a fraction of the hold time as U.S. hotlines do.”

The delay rate – for delays under one hour – averaged 4.8% in September at U.S. airports, according to Hopper. That rose to 5.4% in October following the shutdown, and 5.8% so far in November.

“Cancellations have also increased from impacting 0.56% of flights in September to over 0.6% in October & November,” the company said in an email. The DOT’s planned flight reductions would cause more than 13,000 flights to be canceled or significantly delayed in the next week, Hopper estimated.

What am I owed if my flight is canceled or delayed?

Passengers are entitled to a full refund if an airline cancels their flight – regardless of the reason – and they choose not to rebook, according to DOT rules. The same goes for “significant” delays or changes.

Those include arrivals at least three hours later than originally scheduled on domestic trips, and international flights that get in at least six hours late. The DOT maintains a list of qualifying scenarios on its website, along with a dashboard of airline commitments for controllable delays and cancellations.

Even if the government shutdown is the cause of the delay or cancellation, Keyes wasn’t aware of any exceptions to those rules. “Travelers can take comfort from the fact that in 2020, when huge swaths of flights were canceled during the pandemic, federal regulators explicitly and repeatedly still required airlines to provide refunds,” he said.

The DOT did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Does travel insurance cover shutdown-related flight delays and cancellations?

That depends. “Some comprehensive travel insurance policies may help if your flight is delayed or canceled by the airline, but coverage for government shutdown-related disruptions can vary,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.

She noted that "cancel for any reason" coverage is the “best option for flexibility,” usually reimbursing between 50% and 75% of prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if policy-holders cancel at least 48 hours in advance.

Hopper saw a 40% increase in air travelers adding its Disruption Assistance feature – which allows users to instantly rebook if their flight is delayed or canceled or get a refund – overnight following the DOT’s announcement. “Since the start of the shutdown, sales of Disruption Assistance have skyrocketed over 60%,” the company said in an email.

Keyes noted that flight woes have helped end previous government shutdowns. “It's not inconceivable that many in Washington, DC, are similarly looking to travel chaos this time as a path towards getting the government open again.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US airports could see 'more cancellations' starting this week. What you can do.

Reporting by Nathan Diller, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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